My PE teacher said cutting is attention seeking

[Justin16]

I ain't a cutter, but my PE teacher said cutting is a way of getting attention.

Does anyone agree?

[ShatteredWings]

Almost anyone who has or knows people who have would say that's almost 100% not true...

[Donkey]

Well seeing as most cutters keep it a secret... BS.

[JoshDude]

I disagree.
As Donkey stated: most cutters keep it a secret and don't tell people that they are harming themselves.

[Atonement]

It is possible and does happen that people cut for attention, and only for attention. But others cut for attention because they need help out of whatever is going on with their life.

Then the other kind which is of course for a physical representation and relief of emotional pain.

[Donkey]

Anyone dumb enough to cut for attention... ugh.

[Atonement]

Anyone dumb enough to cut for attention... ugh.

I'm not promoting it, but if thats what it takes for people to get the help they need, I can't bitch at them about it.

[jacknife]

Cutting to me is a valuable aesthetic expression. External recognition does not have much to do with it. That is not to say I would not enjoy finding someone special to share my experience with; it is just to say that my primary motivation for self-harming has nothing to do with attention.

[Atonement]

As it is with most people, but it does exist that people do it for simple attention.

[Sapphire]

Some do, most don't.

[laxgoalie182]

thats a load of crap since we don't tell anyone..usually...and we dont do it for attention... i do it cuz..im horribly depressed and everyone hates me and stuff like that...i feel i hav no point in living its not for ATTENTION!

[xGodsMinionx]

i dont agree becuz when i cutt NOBODY but people here on VT know about it unless i either 1. tell someone. which i dont becuz its just easier to hide it or 2. someone sees them... which does occasionally happen. but its not like i go around flashing them around.

tell ur pe teacher hes a dousch(sp) bag

[Callwaiting]

What an idiot, they obviously have no experience in dealing with these things. 99% of people who cut aren't doing it for attention, and go to great lengths to hide it.


Anywho I've prepared a statement for you to give your PE teacher:

"We, the virtualteen comittee, have decided to proclaim that you, the underqualified and inexperienced physical educater, a mockery of a legitimate professional and will be treated as such from this point forth.
Upon careful deliberation we have also come to the conclusion that you are a douchebag"

[nachtspiegel]

If I were trying to get attention, I'd ask for it. I don't see my scars and wounds as a very nice way to get recognition.

[Requin]

Yeah I agree, I can't see how having scars and wounds gets you attention. Well it get's you attention, just not the one the P.E teacher is on about.

IS he aloud to say things like that? Aren't there rules against that..I thought there was?

[Sapphire]

No offence to any P.E teachers out there as some are cool, but why do you think they became teachers in the first place. If they were any good at logic and thought, they'd teach maths and english.
That is harsh. To label them as lacking in "logic and thought" is narrow-minded and is, in itself, lacking in solid logic.

[Requin]

Ha...true...I was trying to make self harming people feel better..I take it back.
Is he aloud to say that sort of thing?

[Sapphire]

I fail to see how such a low blow would make anyone feel better. Anyway...

I don't think that he has broken a rule. Seems as if he was airing a view which is, sadly, held by many. I suppose it could be classed under any rules on prejudice, but he hasn't (as far as we are aware) treated anyone differently based on this particular prejudice. So I'm not sure...

[Requin]

True but teachers are so restricted these days I just wondered....

[Triceratops]

If that was my PE teacher, I would plunge screwdrivers into his/her eyeballs and give him/her a friggin' piece of my mind! >__> Gahhh.

Cutters aren't attention-seeking at all! The "cutters" who "self harm" for attention are really low and pathetic individuals and have no sense or clue whatsoever. Self harming is a way of dealing with stress, depression, low self-esteem etc and it gives you some sort of guidance and self-control in your life.

I should know because I am a cutter. Arghhh that moron of a human being has made me really irritated now >__>

[Hyper]

I doubt that teacher means what I mean

But it is a certain cry for help as are all destructive behaivours an attempt to seek relief which by itself is already seeking attention.. People usually get depressed when they lack love from others so.. Its quite logical to me

Don't beat me with a rusty pole though

[theOperaGhost]

I actually agree with Hyper. The teacher sounds like an ass. I don't really know how to say this, because hyper actually said it pretty well. I'm not saying it is only or even has to be for attention, but I think there is a little something there. Everyone wants/needs attention, and I would think that if you are depressed enough to cut, you would need more attention. The thing is, you may not even know if you are trying to get attention or not.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think anyone sits around and cuts JUST to get attention. However, I think it happens, maybe even subconsciously.

[Nihilus]

Its a way off getting attention but in a negative way. Cutting is associated with the depressed people. I know someone (well not really know) and she cut for attention. It spared the crap out of my little brother.

[Techno Monster]

No way, not with me, at least.

[UrGoingDown]

I don't think cutting is meant to get attention.
I'm not a cutter, but I do know people who are.
And the way I found out that they were was by accident, anyway.
So, I don't think that teacher knows what he's talking about.

[Sapphire]

I disagree with what Hyper and Jared are saying. The great lengths that I, and many others, go to to hide the fact that we cut completely contradicts what you are both saying.
I wore hoodies and long sleeves all summer (and it was a bloody warm summer!) because I didn't want people to see. Then in order to avoid having that discomfort again in the future, I cut my stomach which is always covered up.
I didn't ask for anyone to find out. I didn't want anyone to find out. I tried everything I could to hide it from the world.

There was a person who I went to school with who cut herself on her arm and actually walked about with her sleeves rolled up so everyone could see her cuts. She cut for attention. People who act like she did, do it for the attention factor.
Everyone else just wants to keep it as their own secret. That is, until the moment that they want to get help, in which case they will confide in someone.

[theOperaGhost]

I disagree with what Hyper and Jared are saying. The great lengths that I, and many others, go to to hide the fact that we cut completely contradicts what you are both saying.
I wore hoodies and long sleeves all summer (and it was a bloody warm summer!) because I didn't want people to see. Then in order to avoid having that discomfort again in the future, I cut my stomach which is always covered up.
I didn't ask for anyone to find out. I didn't want anyone to find out. I tried everything I could to hide it from the world.

There was a person who I went to school with who cut herself on her arm and actually walked about with her sleeves rolled up so everyone could see her cuts. She cut for attention. People who act like she did, do it for the attention factor.
Everyone else just wants to keep it as their own secret. That is, until the moment that they want to get help, in which case they will confide in someone.

I understand that, and I definitely didn't mean what I said in an offensive way. I really don't know anything about cutting, that is just how I feel. I really just wanted to say that I had absolutely no intention to be offensive to anyone. I wish I knew more about self harm before I would have made a statement about it.

[Sapphire]

I'm not offended by what you said. It is a difficult topic to get your head around.

[Hyper]

Sure you hide your cuts but theres a pretty simple logical reason for it..

The fact is people are either conscious attention whores or they seek for attention subconsciously and not with the intention of being noticed or being ''popular'' or being different or whatever motivates someone to purposely seek attention

Bleh things like this are hard to explain but thats just the way I see it everything we do basically seeks attention one way or another

[Sapphire]

...the way I see it everything we do basically seeks attention one way or another
That makes us all (humans) out to be attention whores who seek social recognition from everything that we do.
That is not the case because some things (lke self-harm) cause huge amounts of shame within the individual that they can't even admit it to those around them.
Applying this way of thinking to this topic is wrong because not only will you offend a lot of people but also (maybe unintentionally) aid the existence of ignorance on this serious and wide-spread subject.

[Hyper]

That makes us all (humans) out to be attention whores who seek social recognition from everything that we do.
That is not the case because some things (lke self-harm) cause huge amounts of shame within the individual that they can't even admit it to those around them.
Applying this way of thinking to this topic is wrong because not only will you offend a lot of people but also (maybe unintentionally) aid the existence of ignorance on this serious and wide-spread subject.

Your quick to jump to defensive status and judge the person who you know absolutely nothing about, what makes you think I didn't use to SH? The answer to that is yes btw

And your blowing my words out of context or you just don't understand.

If I do something like push myself hard to study well I do it to help myself and to make someone ( even if it is only myself proud of me ) being proud of someone is giving them attention

Attention isn't just omg look at her! Or something like that.. By thinking of anyone including yourself your giving them attention..

People who don't cry out for help knowingly do it subconsiously

Anyway this is turning into a debate thread though it is meant to be a discussion I'd prefer this not to turn into a 2 person dialogue so PM me if you want..