Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 18 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 3 months ago by
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- Has anyone ever cut themself before? And why? I have, because my mum accused me of stealing money from her.
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Name : Lou23963, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 13, City : From a place that I'm not tellin', State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : Less than High School Diploma,I have not, but I don't think this behavior is unusual. I once had a discussion with a woman who used to slash her forearms. I think in the past during periods of stress I could sometimes carry out extremely mild forms of self-harm, e.g. driving my fingernails into my forehead so that it left marks. I think you need help. You should contact Childline by telephoning 0800 1111 (it's a free call) or 0800 400222 (2 p.m. - 9 p.m. only) or write to them at Freepost 1111, London N1 (you don't need a stamp) or speak to your doctor, or a teacher.User Detail :
Name : Campbell McGregor, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : asperger's syndrome, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 43, City : Glasgow, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : school crossing patroller, Education level : 4 Years of College,About a year ago I began cutting myself on the palm of my hand. I did so for several reasons, the most basic being to prove to myself that I could withstand physical pain so the emotional pain I was in wouldn't matter. After several months of psychiatric treatment I'm all right, but I know a lot people who aren't. If you continue cutting yourself, I cannot urge you enough to see a doctor, or if I can't persuade you of that, at least talk to someone you trust.User Detail :
Name : Alex J., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 17, City : Elkins Park, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : High School student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I was a cutter for about seven years. I was really big on scratching my flesh whenever I had been in an argument with my family or girlfriends or whoever. Ostensibly, it was because I wanted to hurt myself for being bad or whatever. Actually (and this was explained to me by a therapist a couple years ago), when the skin is ruptured, the body releases endorphines to numb the pain. This is very addictive and can be a cold comfort (like, say, drugs) when you're depressed. Just be careful; there is a large population of cutters in the world. I've known several. I stopped finally after I cut myself so badly I had to seek medical attention.User Detail :
Name : Jacob20980, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 20, City : Annapolis, State : MD Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class,When I was about 18, I used to cut myself on the insides of my arms all the time. I don't even remember why I did it; I just remember feeling really sad and anxious and angry all the time. I would think sometimes about hitch-hiking really far out of town and then just dying there. I had a tough couple of years, but eventually it ended. All the bad feelings gradually start draining away, and then I had some successes (I got some recognition at university, met some good people) and things just started improving. I can tell you this: being a teenager is tough. You live a restricted, cramped life with rules you didn't choose or even agree to. Later, things get way better. You get some money, don't have to live somewhere you hate and, if you're lucky, find work you love. Everything is going to get better: hang in there.User Detail :
Name : Susie, Gender : F, Age : 34, City : Winnipeg, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : journalist, Social class : Middle class,I think you'll find many more people cut themselves than let on. I've done it on and off for about 10 years, although it gets better with time. I was your age when I started. Reasons? Many - small and huge. When someone hurts you, sometimes hurting yourself is acknowledging that you're as bad and useless as they say you are. You're confirming it to yourself, and that's not a good thing.I used to visualize my pain in that blood, and letting it out also let out the pain. Make any sense? Take care, though - and try to talk to someone in real time.
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Name : Scarlet, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 23, City : South-West, State : NA Country : France, Occupation : Teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I went through this when I was about 16. I had been hurt by some very important people in my life whom I had trusted completely, and I began to question my own self worth. It was a very difficult time in my life, filled with a lot of emotional pain, and the cutting let me translate that emotion into physical pain. When you're hurting inside, often you don't know how to fix it, but when you're bleeding, you know you can just go wash it off and put on a Bandaid. It put me back in control. Obviously this was extremely unhealthy, but luckily I got better with time. The temptation to cut myself is still there sometimes when I am hurting, but I now have some wonderful people in my life who I can turn to in those times. Please, if you're going through these feelings, talk to someone. Even if you can't admit to anyone what you've been doing, you can still talk to them about the feelings that led to the actions. Things will get better in time, as you grow up and learn to understand and appreciate yourself as a person.User Detail :
Name : Angela, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Minneapolis, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Middle class,Of all the postings at Y? Forum I have responded to, this one is the most personal. When I was 17, I felt so much pressure from everything and everyone. I had to get the right SAT score, get into the right college, have the right friends, look the right way, or else I would just let down so many people. I was starting to really lose it. I was depressed, angry and had crying fits all the time. I came to the conclusion that it was just better to not be here than to let my family down.So, one afternoon, I took a razor and opened my wrists. I thank God to this day that I didn't die, but sweetheart, you need to know that you are not alone. You are loved even though your mom may have been very upset with you. Grownups get scared, too. Kids don't come with instructions. So sometimes, would you please do something that I couldn't at your age? Please talk to someone about how you feel and the reasons that you cut yourself. Don't leave us, dear,. We old folks need you. Whatever the reason, it will get better.
Thank you for asking that question. Did you know you are the first person I have told this to? See what I mean? You have helped me (told you we need you).
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Name : Angela, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 30, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,My problem in my teen years mostly high school was scratching my scalp. I didn't realize until years later that it was stress related. I have a twin sister, and it wasn't until highschool that I was really compared to her. She was always a little bit skinnier than me and even though at 5' 97lbs I was known as the fat twin, and this added to my stress along with all that fitting in crap. At age 27 I finally talked to someone and did take meds to help with my sleeping problem. The main thread I'm seeing is that you need to talk to someone professional. Its not that bad. There are people who understand you.User Detail :
Name : nell, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : Arcata, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : cashier, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class,I have beeen cutting myself for five years, and I did it because I felt like I was in control of something for once. I felt lik no one cared and when I get upset I still do it. It is very hard to stop!User Detail :
Name : Tyeshia W., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Yonkers, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I am 18 and cut just because I want to. It doesn't hurt and is a rush to some people. It doesn't mean you are deranged or have a screw loose or anything. Some people just believe in different things and like different things.User Detail :
Name : Ryan29519, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 18, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,The last time I cut myself was around summer break. Before I had the strength to stop, I cut almost every night, for months and months straight. I cut because I was extreamly upset with myself and the people around me, especially my family. I've always had self-image problems, and everything just seemed to be falling down around me at that time, making me turn to cutting. I've always been a loner, and at that time I didn't feel like anyone was there for me. So I cut. Despite what other people tell you, cutting is serious. And it really does affect the people around you. Cutting is just another way to escape, like drugs. But once your cut stops bleeding and your wound is just a dry open cut, you have nothing else to do but face reality. Cutting only digs you into a deeper hole. Talk to your mother next time. Believe me, it'll help.User Detail :
Name : Jocelyn, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Age : 16, City : St. Louis, State : MO Country : United States,I'm a cutter - shoulders, arms, stomach, anywhere, really. No one's ever noticed and it's fine with me that they don't. I couldn't possibly ever talk to anyone about it, because that would mean my parents finding out, and I get so much pressure from them to be a certain way that they'd totally freak out if they found out. It's not so easy to go get help, you know. Honestly, I don't really want it. I do it to try to manifest physically my emotional pain, I suppose. I'm sure I'll grow out of it eventually, but I thought I'd try to give a different outlook on the topic. I'm sure there's a lot of others who don't say anything about it - probably more than anyone really thinks.User Detail :
Name : Jess30777, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 14, City : Saratoga, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class,Yah, did it for a couple of years. Nothing too deep, but I still have scars. The only person I ever told about it (until now) was a psychiatrist: her immediate reaction was to call for security and try to have me committed. Took me 2 days to get out of the psych ward. In the meantime, the hospital called every phone number they could find for me, and told anyone who answered (my boss, my workmates, the guy down the hall who answered the phone as he was walking by) my entire medical history and that I was crazy. I never went back. Kept cutting for a while, eventually figured out some things and ways of avoiding doing it. First, it never solved anything. It just hurt, all my problems were still there, after the initial fascination had worn off it just seemed stupid. The alternatives depend on exactly what you 'get' from it - is it the pain, seeing the blood drip down your arms, or whatever. Some things to try, acting out the act without doing it: pull out hairs with tweezers (painful but harmless), drip red ink on yourself, plunge hands into ice water, draw on yourself, take up a violent martial art, get a punching bag and hit it till your exhausted, etc. There are various web sites about this stuff, too. You aren't alone.User Detail :
Name : PW, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 33, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I started when I was 14 and I got to where I couldn't stop. It's like an addiction! I met this awesome guy and fell head over heels in love.2 years later we broke up and I cut myself so bad I was rushed to the hospital. I spent 3 weeks in a mental hospital.I'm 19 now and I can honestly say I would never do it again.I realized how much I was hurting everyone who loved me but also I was hurting myself. I have scars that someday will require an explanation when my son asks. Please----if you are a cutter find help. It is serious and somebody somewhere does care.cutting wont solve anything---it only hides it!User Detail :
Name : Jessica, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 19, City : Louisville, State : KY Country : United States, Occupation : unemployed, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,
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