Planting the seed...

[Physicist]

I have reason to believe that self-harm may have risen at an alarming rate due to the publicity it gets. Stay with me here. Think about it, for a second. It takes a special kind of person to just decide to start intentionally inflicting harm on themselves, even if they are depressed. And since it's kind of an odd that to get with out getting the idea put in your head by another party, one hundred years ago, you would think that self harm was a rather rare thing. Today, with self harm being so publicized in the media, and even being advocated slightly by certain groups. For example someone decides that they are depressed. They then want fit in with the "emo" clique. Without this influence, the person would simply be depressed. But because they have the idea in their head that depressed people hurt themselves, they are drawn towards self harm despite the fact that it is was not ever subconsciously in their mind. I know I'm going to get flamed by quite a few people for posting this, however, for those who read this carefully and think about it a bit, do you have any thoughts?

[Sapphire]

I, for one, was not influenced by the media. Infact I didn't know that what I was doing had a name like self harm. In that respect I was quite ignorant. That said, I do agree that the increase in self harmers has risen due to a vague awareness of the act of self harm. I was introduced to the whole concept of causing harm to yourself not by the media but by my so called best mate. Had she not have "planted the seed" in my mind then I seriously doubt I would have given it a second thought.

I have seen it on here. I dont mean this to offend or anger anyone. But people have posted on here saying "I'm depressed, should I cut?" People are aware of the existence of self harm, but not the devastating effect it has on your life as a whole. People are under the impression that it is compartmentalised from the rest of your life, when in actual fact it takes over your life.

In order to reduce the number of self harmers we have to be completely open about it. The emotions behind it, the desperation, the addiction. When one has a full understanding of the horror of self harming then one is less likely to judge and less likely to be led into thinking it is the right thing to do when depressed.

[megamikey59]

I read both your posts. And I didn't know the media could make somebody think about self harm. Only reason I started was maybe because my dad. I used to hit my grandparents and all, and my dad told me to stop. Since, I've never really knew my dad and I thought he was a great guy, I stopped hitting my grandparents. Then I had no other choice but to cut myself when I got mad. Today, even though I'm not mad, I still cut because I'm addicted to it. I think there's more people that use self harm because there's more people getting abuse. I think, each year there's more people getting abused than the year before, because the abuse cycle keeps going. I wasn't influenced by the media or friends, I know this because I never knew people hurt theirself and I didn't know what "emo" was until somebody called me it when they saw my arm. But yea, I think the media has something to do about it. Here's my question, where in the world do you see people inflicting pain unto theirself in the media? Only times I've seen it was when I was watching this movie about steroids. I think some people hurt theirself in a way of coping with sadness or anger.

[Bobby]

I think the media does a good job of turning people away from self-harm

[Sapphire]

How do you account for threads posted on here saying "Should I cut? I'm so depressed and everything is so black. Should I cut?" if no influence exists from the media or friends? (term media covers tv, newspapers, films, radio and internet)

I am not saying that abuse doesnt cause self harm as I find the link between the two fairly obvious.

BUT when I was in year 3 or 4 (8-9 years old) quite literally everyone in my year took apart their sharpeners and cut themselves. It was seen as the "cool" thing to do. At the time I did not take part as thought was stupid. A few years later my "best friend" introduces me to it. A year later I'm using it as a coping method and am completely addicted to it. It took over my life. As I said before I was unaware of the name or psychology behind the behaviour.

The media unfortunately includes the whole "emo" stereotype so I beg to differ with you Diego. I have strong views concerning sterotypes but that is not the topic here. Enough proof that the media has some influence (indirect or direct it is of no importance) on self harm comes from the fact that emos are perceived by many to hurt themselves.

I am by no means placing blame purely on one source as different people have different influences. I am merely stating that the media and friends do have some influence on it.

[Bobby]

That statement I made was wrong. Here in the U.S. I don't see cutting in the media at all. I watch the news, read magazines, and sometimes the newspaper, and listen to the radio. I haven't heard self-harm mentioned ever. Abuse on the other hand, a lot.

[schrei jess]

I can agree with what you are saying. But I dont think I had really heard about cutting or self harm when I started doing it, but it definetly fueled me and pushed me further. I read books and watched movies with characters like me, watched their pain and felt it as my own. There is a lot of self harm in the media - if you know where to look, but it isnt just out there for anyone to find, you have to know where to go and look for it.

[megamikey59]

I know one episode of Naruto (japanese version or comic book version), where he stabs his hand. But all my friends and the media had nothing about self harm or cutting. I've never seen it, until I started watching Naruto a couple weeks ago. I think friends and yourself influence cutting. I don't know about the self harm but I finally figured out why I started cutting and self harm. My dad told me the next time I hit somebody, I'll end up in jail. So I started punching walls instead of people, then I started bleeding and it felt good, then I started cutting. So, yea I think friends and family influence self harm and cutting alot, not the media.