Is this normal/has it happened to anyone else??

[LeRock]

Why hello there...
I hope this hasn't been posted before or anything like that, but a couple of weeks ago I just tried 'scratching', I guess you would call it, on my forearm with my nails and the tip of my compass (no blood or anything). Anyway, the other day I 'scratched' the back of my forearm (a rather conspicuously stupid place to do so, as I didn't think it would result in anything), and kept doing that back and forth as it felt rather pleasant and I didn't believe it to be doing anything, and then when I removed my nail it was as if the top few layers of skin had split and stretched to the side revealing more skin underneath, now it just looks like a gaping hole. I was really surprised because the place that I was 'scratching was only in a line the width of my nail while this newly acquired 'hole' is about half the width of my pinkie nail. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them or if anyone has heard/knows of it happening?

Also, when I say I 'tried' scratching, I don't mean to be disrespectful or to say that I just 'tried it for the sake of it'... I do have my valid reasons and that many people may not have a choice in the matter.

[jamieallover]

Scratching is actually a form of cutting. It's almost called the begining stages when you look up on google, (not sure how true that is) But regardless, this is what I struggle with. I scratch until I can't scratch anymore. I don't like to see the blood, I just like the burning sensation that comes along with it. It's a wierd sense of relief. Some people consider it a nervous habit and don't realize that it is actually a form of self harm. Honestly, if you just "tried" it, I mean I can understand experimenting but this isn't something you'd want to experience. It gets extremely addicting and overly frustrating, itt becomes an addiction that you can't control. I know for a while I couldn't control my scratching to the point where it scared me. Just be careful, stop while your ahead.

[ScarredEclipse]

Just please don't let it get past scratching. Once it does, you can't stop. And then there will be blood, and more. Just stop while you can.

[MadManWithaBox]

Harming is harming. Just get out while you can.

[Fiction]

As everyone else has said, get out of this while you still can.

I started by scratching, around a year and a half ago now. I didn't expect it to ever get any further than but it did. My cuts got deeper and I even ended up in hospital for an overdose.

It becomes addicting and means you can't wear short sleeves anymore. There is so much self harming restricts you from doing, please don't let this get any further.

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk.

[Mike321]

I started like that, just scratching with a compass.
That was alomst 4 years ago now, and I'm still cutting more and more.
So like everyone else has said, stop now while you can before you become addicted to it.