There is so much confusion around the addiction of cutting. It's hard for some people to understand why you, or someone you know, would repeatedly harm themselves on purpose. I want to break through the confusion and help those who practice cutting as a way of life. I've heard a lot of people say, why would anyone do such a thing as purposely cause pain to their bodies? So, let's begin to uncover the reasons why so many people cut themselves.
Most People Cut to Cover an Even Deeper Emotional Pain
As I have talked with hundreds of people that self-harm, one major reason emerges over and over again: Most people cut themselves to try to cope with an even deeper emotional pain. If you or anybody you know is cutting, please understand cutting is a way of covering something much deeper and painful going on inside.
Cover Self-Hate
An anonymous blogger put it this way: I used to cut because I felt like it was the only way to feel something other than the hurt and confusion and self-hate that was driving me insane. I would cut because I hated myself so much that I wanted to tear myself to pieces.
Cover Past Trauma
Most cutters' ability to cope with life is overwhelmed by powerful emotions or extreme pressure that seem too intense to bear. Jenessa said she's been a cutter for 7 years. I was sexually abused by someone very close to me. I started cutting because I always thought that what happened was my fault. I have never gotten over it, so I used to cope with any problem I had by cutting. Taking it out on myself was so much easier than figuring out what to do emotionally.
Can't Express Emotional Pain
When these emotions aren't dealt with, tension builds up. Cutting can feel like a release of this tension. Rachel said cutting is a way for her to deal with her pain: It's an escape from reality. No matter how temporary it is it's a relief to escape all the pain.
Most cutters struggle to express their pain to others. Without the words or outlet to express their emotional pain, they give into a short cut, a destructive physical expression toward themself. Laken said cutting is her first reaction when she feels disappointment or difficulty. When I fail a test, when I get in a fight, when I am called a mean name, or when anything bad happens the first thought is to cut. It is horrible and I always fall back on it.
The physical pain has a calming effect on her more agonizing emotional pain. Cutting is the treating of one pain with another. A cutter's life is one of the choices between one kind of pain or a much greater one. Amy said: It feels good when you have physical pain to take away from your emotional pain.
Avoid Dealing with Deep Feelings
The problem with self-injury as with any addiction, is that by harming yourself you never really are able to confront your deepest feelings. Perhaps that is you. You are using cutting to try to cope with an even deeper emotional pain. It is hard to say no to something that feels so good. But in the end, cutting will fail you every time.
Don't lose hope. There are healthy ways to deal with your emotions and to stop cutting for good. Check out these helpful resources on self-harm from TheHopeLine.
If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, check out TheHopeLine's free eBook.
Im sure a lot of people care, and i really care. I am going through the same thing im 14 but i rarly do it most of the time im telling myself dont do it think about your future think of something else you can do besides harming yourself. What works for me is to listen to music grab a bat and ball and hit it as hard as you can or if you live in the woods grab a gun and just shoot it will take off a lot of steam
Just remember your not alone in this. I hope this helps.
I started cutting at 14 and now I'm 17 I still cut and wish I could stop but its an addiction and helps me handle my demons on the inside.
Im 21. I cut myself probably an average of once or twice evert couple months. I only do it when my emotions become too much. Itsreally hard to deal with . When i was younger i used to pull my hair really hard or scratch myself. When i got older i tried cutting. It made me feel so much better at the moment. Its like a release of all the anxiety..... but the next day, i see my cuts and i feel them burn in the shower and i regret it and feel ashamed. So its a lose lose
Hi my name is Brenda and I'm facing something like that . its true what everything is being said here. Sometime i cut because I feel hate for the person that's inside . this person make me be something that I don't want to be I feel like I have so much pain and I want to deal with it , but the person in me makes me put on a front with everyone and doesn't let me get the help that I need. I hate that because I am hurting deep down , but because I've been through so much its hard to trust people . so its more of hating and cutting it is like you want to break free . like you wan to find the person you really are because not at any moment does that pain hurts.
Keyli, we are here for you 24/7. I can only imagine how lonely it must feel to have lost such a close and caring friend. We want to listen. Call TheHopeLine: 1-800-394-4673 (HOPE)