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.
Please help me. I see a psychiatrist regularly. I take my meds as prescribed. My lithium level still goes all over the charts. I understand variables; I minimize them. The phyological pain is very, really physical. This is not this life I want. I want to walkup having a pretty go idea what the day will be like. I want to be a better member of soviety, not just work my ass off to seem "normal". I want be a mother. Tonight, I cut myself deaper than I meant to. As much as I want to die and stop the pain, I think that this time the pain will pass too. I just want this to stop. I don't want to be bipolar anymore.
I'm going thew the same crap w my 16yr old step daughter..I have a ten month old and a 14yr old...how do I no she won't hurt them or take it to car on accident..she got caught sneaking in her boyfriend at 2am then 4 days later in our safe taking her phone. She cut her legs like 80 to 100 cuts on each one and wen I caught her in the safe that nite she left me a not and did her arms the same..I told her I'm taking pics daily and that if I c a new cut I'm backdating her. She left me a note saying I did it again and really bad..well her dad and the shhrink said that won't help. But I bet a 30 day place may.I don't no what to do..I'm almost at the point were I'll just leave and take my kids and go to my moms
Thanks for your honesty. When you are struggling, chat with a HopeCoach. We care about you and we are here for you 24/7 http://www.thehopeline.com/gethelp/
I found myself here reading this article after a long stare at my cutting marks. I have bad marks that will never go. I stopped 6 yrs ago. It all started when I lost the ability to express my emotions. I was physically and mentally abused for five years straight. Locked up and all that sh**. When I first cut myself, I felt good. I felt relaxed. That pain of cutting takes off from that emotional heavy pain. It was relaxing. So good.
I miss it.. I am away from that physical pain, but mentally I am still there. I am seeking help, but I feel that the help Im getting is not enough. I do not want to be on sedative medication cause therapist these days cannot solve people's pain. I want to cut, I feel that I need it.. But I won't. I will just share these thoughts to pull myself away from marking another wound on my wrest.
I havent posted this with my real ma,e because I'm ashamed of myself and live in total fear that anyone that k ows me personally would find out. I cut, people on all types of anon websites ask me why but I dont know how to answer, because I dont know. I get panic attacks and I had a therapist because of mild depression two years ago, i hated this so i started pretending to be okay, and this made me worse, this made me start cutting..i walk i to school everyday and i have to pretend im Happy and then when i get home i just cant help but cut. My bestfriend I met on the internet, I forced myself to stop talking to her for her on goodbecause I'm terrified that she could become as miserable as me. Noting in my life is good at the moment, and all that emotional pain is relieved from me when i feel physical pain.
We feel your pain. Please call/chat with a HopeCoach today http://www.thehopeline.com/gethelp/ We don't judge you and we are hear to listen and encourage you. We care about you.
And check out this story we just posted on our stories page http://www.thehopeline.com/suicide-self-harm/
You are not alone. We are here for you 24/7.