Need help understanding why my girlfriend cuts

[Adam17]

So like the title says I need a little help to understand why my girlfriend cuts. I've talked to her about it and she doesn't really explain it, she just says that sometimes when she is really upset she'll do it and that she doesn't like to talk about because she feels ashamed. I've told her that her scars don't bother me and she hasn't done it since we started dating but I was hoping someone who has done this could give me a little more information.

[ksdnfkfr]

Well it's kinda just something you fall into like other destructive behavior. It is a combination of punishing yourself, taking out frustration, a feeling of release, a feeling of satisfaction. I mean it's pretty much a psychological disorder, so there is no way to make it sound reasonable or whatever. Really no way to completely get it without having been there. I had to have therapy to get past it - but it still beckons me.

[Katiya]

Ehhhhhh, what he said^

Though I wouldn't call it a disorder because everyone has coping mechanisms whether that be running or meditating or sh. All people are different and respond different and have different lives and different things work and don't work. See disorder implies the person is not a whole human being and less than others in society and has to be 'fixed' when often getting away from the stressor is all that's needed and the person isn't broken, just pushed to their personal limit. People with no disorders can sh as well as previously disordered people.
No person is ideal or perfect. No matter how many times people say cutting isn't normal, neither are the other weird things people do. And the bashers of sh have their own problems. They can't go with out bashing someone else to make them selves feel superior. And often theses are I'll tempered individuals to be gin with. If we shall call sh a disorder then we must call 'bashing' a disorder as well.
There is not one person on this earth that handles life perfectly like we are 'suppose too' acording to msm. If they say they do they lie.

Let's no go throwing stereotypes and labels now. It's a coping mechanism. Just like yelling or crying or fighting or running or even drug abuse. It works for some individuals but is not ideal.

[Katiya]

Be caring and understanding to your gf. That's the beat thing you can do ;)

[ksdnfkfr]

Ehhhhhh, what he said^

Though I wouldn't call it a disorder because everyone has coping mechanisms whether that be running or meditating or sh. All people are different and respond different and have different lives and different things work and don't work. See disorder implies the person is not a whole human being and less than others in society and has to be 'fixed' when often getting away from the stressor is all that's needed and the person isn't broken, just pushed to their personal limit. People with no disorders can sh as well as previously disordered people.
No person is ideal or perfect. No matter how many times people say cutting isn't normal, neither are the other weird things people do. And the bashers of sh have their own problems. They can't go with out bashing someone else to make them selves feel superior. And often theses are I'll tempered individuals to be gin with. If we shall call sh a disorder then we must call 'bashing' a disorder as well.
There is not one person on this earth that handles life perfectly like we are 'suppose too' acording to msm. If they say they do they lie.

Let's no go throwing stereotypes and labels now. It's a coping mechanism. Just like yelling or crying or fighting or running or even drug abuse. It works for some individuals but is not ideal.

Wow I really botched that, you are right. Coping mechanism is the right term. I had a psychological disorder in the form of clinical depression while I was self harming that needed to be dealt with. It really wasn't the sh that was being addressed in therapy, but rather why I was self harming. The coping mechanism could have been many things, like sleeping in a lot.

[jesusogpaign]

^ These guys really nailed it. It could be any number of reasons, or a combination of a few. I know I've been trying to figure out why exactly it is that I cut, and I've come to realize it's not always for the same reason. Sometimes it feels like a release or an escape. Sometimes it feels like I deserve it or sort of a manifestation of self-hate, and sometimes I like to have the scars there to kind of remind myself of that.