Why do people CUT?

[CharlieHorse]

Do people start cutting because they know about others who do it or see it on the internet, and then they try it themselves?

It can't possibly be instinctive to use a blade in the relatively same way as many others...

[ksdnfkfr]

Probably differs from person to person.
Cutting has to do with gratification a lot of times, so maybe people start cutting and get hooked on it the same as they start smoking and get hooked on it.
It's all about the feels.

During my autistic meltdowns I would often hit or gouge myself.
Somehow that became a more stigmatic cutting/stabbing routine.
I had no idea it was something other people did.

[CharlieHorse]

Probably differs from person to person.
Cutting has to do with gratification a lot of times, so maybe people start cutting and get hooked on it the same as they start smoking and get hooked on it.
It's all about the feels.

During my autistic meltdowns I would often hit or gouge myself.
Somehow that became a more stigmatic cutting/stabbing routine.
I had no idea it was something other people did.

I understand this,
but i mean like where does the person get the idea to use a blade to injure themselves commonly on their wrists? It seems like it could only be learned.

[ksdnfkfr]

I understand this,
but i mean like where does the person get the idea to use a blade to injure themselves commonly on their wrists? It seems like it could only be learned.

That's why I compared it to smoking.
Nobody accidentally puts a cigarette in their mouth and lights it.
I've heard some kids who smoke, suck the smoke down hard so it will hurt.
And will burn themselves with the cigarette on top of that.

I think sometimes people get a mental image of someone who cuts because someone else they know does and they are just copying it. But that is true of most harmful behavior. So it's not really a matter of someone taking it up just to be dramatic and or get attention. There is a psychological and psychological enjoyment that comes from the act itself. As far as I know, ppl have been doing it since time began.

[Tarannosaurus]

I understand this,
but i mean like where does the person get the idea to use a blade to injure themselves commonly on their wrists? It seems like it could only be learned.

Well yes, I had heard about cutting on the wrist before I started it.
However self harm in general isn't something that's 'learned'. I was 6-8 when I started and I had no idea what self harm was then.

[backjruton]

I still don't fully understand the meaning of Self Harm myself because I thought it was just cutting and anything that leaves a mark or very long term pain. I've never cut myself but even I've apparently done a lot of things that count as "self harm" because I was answering one of the surveys on this forum quite recently and I looked up different types of it as I was answering the questions.

I've banged my head against walls (a lot of the time by accident as I sit with my back against the wall when I'm doing things as I sit on my bed) this is one of the most simple things anyone can do. I've never even stabbed myself with a compass or anything on purpose', every time I have stabbed myself Its been an accident with the sewing needle, the compass or even the end of pencils

I do hit myself a lot though with controllers for the PS4 and PS3, tv remotes, my phone...just whatever I'm holding whenever I get angry because my anger is usually caused by the thing that I'm holding. It really shocked me to know that even this can count but how is that even possible?? Maybe I'm being a bit stupid here now but -self harm- Is such a strong term and all of these things I do only ever hurt for 15 minutes or less and they hardly ever even sort out my anger because of the way things work in my head. I'm still trying to figure some things about myself out so I feel quite stressy but never enough to cut myself as I have funnier and more disgusting ways to sort my stresses out.

Anyway, back to this subject. My friend in college said she started to cut herself as a way to deal with the stresses of the year 11 (last year) exams but that also confuses me how some people really worry about their exams and I never did. I never revised once and I did a lot better in my final exams than the rest of the group(of 30 people) seem to have XD

[AlexOnToast]

Well using a blade in particular might not be instinctive, but self harm itself is for many people. A blade just so happens to be a convenient means to an end.

[Etcetera]

Do people start cutting because they know about others who do it or see it on the internet, and then they try it themselves?

It can't possibly be instinctive to use a blade in the relatively same way as many others...

I understand this,
but i mean like where does the person get the idea to use a blade to injure themselves commonly on their wrists? It seems like it could only be learned.


When I began cutting 5 years ago, it wasn't because I knew other people did it and I wanted to try it. It wasn't because I got the idea. I just did it.

Sometimes if something injures you and you find that "wow, that actually feels good, it distracts me from my emotional pain." And then you do it again, but on purpose as a test to see if it helps, and it does and there an addiction is birthed.

If you are in such extreme pain, you have to have a way to cope. There are many many different ways of coping, self-harming is just one of those ways.

Cutting is only one of many ways of self-harming. People do it for many reasons:
- a way to express something that is impossible to put into words.
- make experiences, thoughts or feelings that feel invisible into something visible
- change emotional pain into physical pain
- reduce overwhelming emotional feelings or thoughts
- have a sense of being in control of the pain that you have instead of feeling that only others can cause you pain, but instead you have control over it.
- stop feeling numb, disconnected or dissociated, to know that you are feeling something when you feel like you aren't feeling anything anymore, numbness. to know that you are alive.


I used to cut myself just so I could feel pain. [It] let me know I was real and I wasn't in a dream.
I ‘needed’ to harm to punish myself for being what I believed then to be a terrible person and to clear the fog in my head. As soon as I did, I'd feel in control, calm and as though a reset button had been pressed in my head.
-Anonymous

[xXl0sth0peXx]

For me personally, it wasn't 'a blade' persay, at least at first. It was whatever sharp object I got my hands on. Overtime, it escalates.

I don't know persay if I knew or not, I mean I was old enough but I hadn't really experienced it, however I know now that one of my friends used to do it, and I remember kinda knowing that she 'cut herself' and had scars because of it and such, but I don't think I really knew until I started and then had someone ask me. It just kinda happened I guess.

[CharlieHorse]

That's all very interesting everyone, thanks :)

[randomuser666]

to me it was punishment for hurting other people

[Synyster Shadows]

When I began cutting 5 years ago, it wasn't because I knew other people did it and I wanted to try it. It wasn't because I got the idea. I just did it.

Sometimes if something injures you and you find that "wow, that actually feels good, it distracts me from my emotional pain." And then you do it again, but on purpose as a test to see if it helps, and it does and there an addiction is birthed.

If you are in such extreme pain, you have to have a way to cope. There are many many different ways of coping, self-harming is just one of those ways.

Cutting is only one of many ways of self-harming. People do it for many reasons:
- a way to express something that is impossible to put into words.
- make experiences, thoughts or feelings that feel invisible into something visible
- change emotional pain into physical pain
- reduce overwhelming emotional feelings or thoughts
- have a sense of being in control of the pain that you have instead of feeling that only others can cause you pain, but instead you have control over it.
- stop feeling numb, disconnected or dissociated, to know that you are feeling something when you feel like you aren't feeling anything anymore, numbness. to know that you are alive.

This sums it up pretty well. It's something a person can control when the rest of their life feels or is out of their own control

[myfoodisnotshared]

I still don't fully understand the meaning of Self Harm myself because I thought it was just cutting and anything that leaves a mark or very long term pain. I've never cut myself but even I've apparently done a lot of things that count as "self harm" because I was answering one of the surveys on this forum quite recently and I looked up different types of it as I was answering the questions.

I've banged my head against walls (a lot of the time by accident as I sit with my back against the wall when I'm doing things as I sit on my bed) this is one of the most simple things anyone can do. I've never even stabbed myself with a compass or anything on purpose', every time I have stabbed myself Its been an accident with the sewing needle, the compass or even the end of pencils

I do hit myself a lot though with controllers for the PS4 and PS3, tv remotes, my phone...just whatever I'm holding whenever I get angry because my anger is usually caused by the thing that I'm holding. It really shocked me to know that even this can count but how is that even possible?? Maybe I'm being a bit stupid here now but -self harm- Is such a strong term and all of these things I do only ever hurt for 15 minutes or less and they hardly ever even sort out my anger because of the way things work in my head. I'm still trying to figure some things about myself out so I feel quite stressy but never enough to cut myself as I have funnier and more disgusting ways to sort my stresses out.

Anyway, back to this subject. My friend in college said she started to cut herself as a way to deal with the stresses of the year 11 (last year) exams but that also confuses me how some people really worry about their exams and I never did. I never revised once and I did a lot better in my final exams than the rest of the group(of 30 people) seem to have XD

Okay, this isn't an insult - but I don't think you self harm. Self harm is about a need to inflict upon yourself, whether you feel the pain or not, whether you let your cuts get infected or not, whether you feel in control or not. It's a choice that you make to hurt yourself, whatever your reasons, and it's surprisingly controlled. Accidents and anger-responses aren't the same thing, because you don't choose to hurt yourself, life is just giving you a hard time.

P.S. You didn't revise? Damn you XD

Do people start cutting because they know about others who do it or see it on the internet, and then they try it themselves?

It can't possibly be instinctive to use a blade in the relatively same way as many others...

I understand this,
but i mean like where does the person get the idea to use a blade to injure themselves commonly on their wrists? It seems like it could only be learned.

It's not really 'try it yourself', like a fashion trend or a free sample. Think of it as like an idea that gets planted in your mind when you first become aware of self harm, allowed to survive because of the way your mind works then encouraged to grow by a hundred little things... your home life, school, friends, your confidence and insecurities all contributing till you start to actually cut. Then a sort of addiction takes over. Peer pressure does occur - but self-harm is often solitary, fuelled by feeling alone and unsupported.

And self harm is also very often on upper arms or inner thighs... not a place as visible and dangerous as the wrists. Very few cutters are suicidal when they start, and even fewer actively try to get discovered.

[Karkat]

Well yes, I had heard about cutting on the wrist before I started it.
However self harm in general isn't something that's 'learned'. I was 6-8 when I started and I had no idea what self harm was then.

This is pretty close to what I was going to say. I didn't start off with cutting- I'd hit or bite myself, but I did try to cut myself at times.

Also, this:

It's not really 'try it yourself', like a fashion trend or a free sample. Think of it as like an idea that gets planted in your mind when you first become aware of self harm, allowed to survive because of the way your mind works then encouraged to grow by a hundred little things... your home life, school, friends, your confidence and insecurities all contributing till you start to actually cut. Then a sort of addiction takes over. Peer pressure does occur - but self-harm is often solitary, fuelled by feeling alone and unsupported.

And self harm is also very often on upper arms or inner thighs... not a place as visible and dangerous as the wrists. Very few cutters are suicidal when they start, and even fewer actively try to get discovered.

[backjruton]

Okay, this isn't an insult - but I don't think you self harm. Self harm is about a need to inflict upon yourself, whether you feel the pain or not, whether you let your cuts get infected or not, whether you feel in control or not. It's a choice that you make to hurt yourself, whatever your reasons, and it's surprisingly controlled. Accidents and anger-responses aren't the same thing, because you don't choose to hurt yourself, life is just giving you a hard time.

P.S. You didn't revise? Damn you XD

Well....
1. I don't take this as an insult
2. I do hit myself on purpose with some of these things but I don't do it too hard because I know I have a lower pain tolerance to a lot of other people. I know to be careful because of this but it is something I do as a response to my anger
3. I was just wondering because it seems to cover a lot of things. I'm trying to figure out more things about myself right now, I've confused myself quite a lot and I'm trying to figure out some of the things I still don't understand. I always just thought "self harm" was just cutting but then I was shocked to actually see that it counts for a lot of other things too, and I know this may sound a little stupid that I'm counting smacking myself in the arm with whatever I'm holding at the time I get angry. This is just a reaction I've always had :eek: I do a lot to harm myself but on a less painful scale

and 4. Revision is really boring, so surely I can't be blamed for not bothering. I think I tried to before and because of the pressure I forgot everything I'd revised anyway... The way I've always seen it is it's better to work from what you remember than what you try to force into your mind at the last minute. I think it's better to not care because then you're not bothered when you don't succeed, which must be better than revising for a very long time only to get your results sheet back and see you got an F in every subject. I don't think many people do get Fs in every subject but I'm just using it as an example, but you won't be as dissapointed with yourself if you didn't try in the first place AND the stress won't get to you as hard :D

Also, on a random note that could contribute to this topic. Sadly I'm one of the people that grows hair on their hands (which I hate) and instead of shaving it off I actually bite it off. That hurts too, and takes longer, it's very painful but I THINK it calms me down when I do it, obviously after I've done it I have to wait until the hair grows back before I can do it again so I can't be too sure about that

[Roxox]

In short :

Because being depressed sucks. Cutting helps you cope.

[lifelies]

I started cutting because I went through a traumatic event and I was afraid of killing myself.
It kinda worked...

[SevenHells]

People cut to feel a release, or feel better (in my case).. I have not once seen the Internet as a source of relief to my pain and I hope others feel this belief

[Babs]

some people do it because they see people talk about how it's their emotional release, yes, but like someone else said, it's not like "hey, let me try that" like you'd
try a new flavor of gum. it often happens when people are aware of the concept, but not because someone else does it.
some people do it without realizing others do it.
everyone has their own reasons. common reasons include but are not limited to: as a way of punishing themselves, or to feel something, to feel real, or as an emotional release.

[GoJonny]

People cut to feel a release, or feel better (in my case).. I have not once seen the Internet as a source of relief to my pain and I hope others feel this belief

Exactly what I was thinking. Good :(

[Smeagol]

I started off by scratching myself and then when that didn't work I read somewhere that some kids cut themselves and my mind at that point was all over the idea. I know it sounds idiotic but I was desperate to feel better. It worked for a while but I'm so glad I'm getting better/ not cutting as much.

[Slenders Swagger]

Most do it because they are going through hard times and cutting seems like a way to release all of their negative, emotional feelings.

Well that's why I used to do it, I was so upset because I knew I would never see my mother again so I thought 'cutting' would be a good way to take my mind off of what was going on in my life at the time. Which was about 3-4 years ago.

Please don't double post, if you have something to add, use the edit button instead. ~Siobhan.

[Stephane17]

Cutting???
Hmm
I can give many reasons for people to cut because i have had friends and people cut for various reasons

People cut because they are either depressed and cant handle it anymore so they tend to want to make themselfs suffer by cutting themselfs and giving themselfs pain

It could also potentially be to get attention because i have had many incounter's were some people were cutting to get attention Which i strongly agreee to watch for that!

People Can also Cut because of the term Emo which people are very gothic meaning they like the blood and gorror and very dark colours And they tend to cut

But thats my reasons why i think people cut , but believe me there are more reasons :)

[Karkat]

People Can also Cut because of the term Emo which people are very gothic meaning they like the blood and gorror and very dark colours And they tend to cut

I personally think that's kind of a bad stereotype. :rolleyes:

I mean, I'm sure some do it because of that, but you could call me sort of 'emo' or 'gothic' at times, and I cut for entirely different reasons.

In fact, emo and gothic are really just stereotypes that should be done away with. Like prep and jock. Dyke. Etc.

[Katiya]

I started as I had a very terrible past. When I was little I discovered inflicting pain felt good/gratifying. I would scratch my self hard with my nails and I would bleed. One day I had scissors in my hand and I just took a swipe with those. That's how I discovered it. I didn't know about other people because i was isolated at school.

I didn't learn it from anyone else. I had never even heard of it until I was 16. Believe it or not. I thought I was the only one who did it.

[HollowSoul]

Do people start cutting because they know about others who do it or see it on the internet, and then they try it themselves?

It can't possibly be instinctive to use a blade in the relatively same way as many others...
It actually was instinctive for me. I've been doing some form of self harm all my life. I didn't know anyone who did it or see anything about cutting. It just happened.

[CharlieHorse]

It actually was instinctive for me. I've been doing some form of self harm all my life. I didn't know anyone who did it or see anything about cutting. It just happened.

wow
see i kind of find that fascinating in a human nature point of view. I'm sorry that you have went through pain like that. :(

[Hallie]

Well I had heard a little bit about it, but I also had self-injurious behaviors for a long time before that. The one night when I first cut myself, I didn't think about it, it just sort of happened. When I saw the blade lying next to me, i just thought of it as another way to harm myself like I had been doing for a while. I didn't make the connection that it was the cutting that I'd heard other people talk about until a while later. This is probably because everyone talked about it like it was something people did for attention, and I'd just internalized it that way. Therefore, when I did it and hid it, I just didn't associate it with the cutting people had talked about. It was a completely different thing in my mind, but that's also because I didn't know much about it.

[NeuroTiger]

I'll say frustration

[HollowSoul]

wow
see i kind of find that fascinating in a human nature point of view. I'm sorry that you have went through pain like that. :(

It's ok it's just something I have to deal with. It's really hard to stop.

[workingatperfect]

For me, cutting was something that I had heard of and had friends that did it and kind of went to it as a "Well it worked for them, maybe it will work for me" sort of thing.

[DiamondsGirl]

I never cut so hard until I draw blood because I don't have a way to hide all those scars, but I cut (that's past tense btw :) ) just to make myself feel something. The biggest issue I had with myself is the fact that I really, really don't feel nothing. I don't feel joy. I don't feel gloom. I was just there, wearing a fake smile or crying up a river of tears without feeling anything at heart. Sometimes I feel pain.. A bit. Rage, in rare occasion. Fear? Somehow never. I was standing on top of a table to put up a Christmas decoration on my class and the table toppled. I swear I don't feel nothing even when my body slammed down to the floor (and yes I'm alright).

It frustrates me, you see... so I was like "if pain is the only thing I can feel, then why not make it as real as it could be?". So yeah to put it very shortly I think I'd agree with Tomtiger10. Frustration.

[Chrisscotland]

I get angry and agitated very easily and I used to bite my hands and arms I liked the marks it left but they faded and I got really angry one day and got a sharp bit of plastic and scratched my arm lots of times and it left red marks that didn't fade for a few days, it progressed to using bits of metal, glass, the blade out of razors I stole a knife from the kitchen and have cut both my arms all over.
Ive tried to stop it but if I do for a few days then I see something sharp I cant stop it from happening, its stopped me from getting so agitated and angry all the time.
So I guess it helps me keep things under control, the pain takes your mind of things and the scars remind you that you know how to make yourself feel better, so that's why I do it.

[Fanta_Lover44]

In my case I would say that it was releasing all my emotions that I had trapped and I used it for punishment against myself.

[mermaidfairy]

I had friends who do it and it seemed to help them. They tried to talk me out of it but I didn't listen.

[tdawhg99]

Do people start cutting because they know about others who do it or see it on the internet, and then they try it themselves?

It can't possibly be instinctive to use a blade in the relatively same way as many others...


most real cutters, cut because the physical pain distracts them from their emotional pains.

[CharlieHorse]

most real cutters, cut because the physical pain distracts them from their emotional pains.

I know why some people self harm, I just think it's curious that it's most commonly a blade on the wrist, as opposed to anything else.

[SouthernGirl]

for attention