Cutting - A Disorder Or A Fashion Statement - Comments

Another way is burning, or just plain accidents. i don't cut or burn, but have 14 scars on my arms. i kinda don't feel it anymore, like when i accidently cut myself on a knife, 5 minutee's later i saw the blood on the floor.

I cut myself. I don't do it everyday, but when my emotions just build up to much I just can't help it. When my paren'ts found out (Well, they found an exacto knife, one that I'd never even used, they just guessed) Anyways, they didn't go into denial or anything, but I wish they had. Because instead they assumed I was some psycho freak who does all this fucked up stuff at night! I mean, honestly, what the fuck? I wouldn't be surprised if they thought I was performing satanic rituals in the kitchen 9_9 One time I was reading a book about this girl who cut, and my Mom read the description and said to my Dad "Oh it's just about one of kids who cuts themselves for attenton" And I felt horrible because that's not true. Not everyone cuts for attention and it's horrible to think so. People who cut for attention can just die, already. ;l

how absurd.
if you would cut yourself for attention; you're better off dead.

This is true.
My friends got really upset when they found out that I was cutting, and they kept trying to get me to stop. It never worked, and they just gave up and accepted it.
One of them even started doing it again, because she's going through a really stressful time in her family.
I agree with Alex, though, it's not anything to joke about, and if you are ever thinking about starting, don't.
It's hell to try and stop.

this is 90% true.

What makes me disgusted about cutting, is the people who treat it as one big joke. A while ago, a 'friend' told some of her friends about my habit, i forced her to swear she wouldn't tell anyone and promise she'll never bring it up again. But no. She told her friends. One of them then came up to me at a local music festival and was like "HI ALEX! I heard about what you did, dont worry i do it too." and then she proceeded to pull up her sleeve, revealing cuts to me and four other people she didnt even know. I just wanted to grab her arm and scream in her face that this isnt something to joke about, and that she's an attention seeking idiot. Instead, i just forced myself to lie to her and say that the friend who told her was lying, and that it never happened. I walked away.
She doesnt even notice how hard it is to stop, for alot of people it's like going a week without food and water, it's almost impossible. But people like her just cant get it in their little heads that it's not a joke. It never will be a joke and they should never treat it like that. I would do anything just to go back in time and not start it, to forget all about it. Anything. If you're reading this and are thinking about doing it, fucking dont. Its not worth it one bit.

I cut myself, I will admit to that freely. It is my body, and I shall do what I please with it. But, for me cutting isn't a way to get attention or to release complex emotions. It is pure masochism.

wtf, a fashion statement?

We all deal with emotions or situations differently. Enough said.

It's a nice article, well written.
It is an addiction, a terrible one at that. Ruins your whole self esteem, if it want's ruined already. I myself am a recoverer.
But there is more than cutting. So many other way to get those gorgeous little endorphins into your brain.
It's worse when people reach desperation, like, I myself, ripped staples out of walls.
I used to rip my hair out, burn my skin, cut, then put permanent marker in, so it's sting. Bang your head against walls, all sorts.
Cutting is only the tip of the iceberg really. It's where it all starts, when it comes to self-harm.

It's amazing how most of the people that commented this were so indignant about how its not a fad. Yet nearly all of them admitted to it. What does that tell you?

Okay not I agree with the way that u say that some people do it just to 'feel alive' I however do not agree that we should treat it as a wrong thing. Now I understand that u should if it gets WAY too out of hand though I don't think we should treat it if it's just like a cut that won't really lead to a compulsive behavior. I cut and I do not want to commit suicide though I do agree that when I am upset I do direct towards cutting sometimes.
I'm not trying to be mean I'm just giving my opinion.

Thank you.

Becca

I agree with Lucy!
She took the words out of my mouth.

People are going to attack me for this comment, but I don't care.
A number of people DO cut themselves because they have problems in their life, or are depressed, but a number of people cut themselves because it is the done thing to do know.
Where I live, there is a wide number of people claiming to have "problems" when in fact, they don't. Some people think it's cool to be a bit messed up. People I know are claiming to be schizophrenic just because it makes them a little more "interesting", when in fact they have no psychological diagnosed condition.
I'm not denying that people cut because they have problems, but these people don't publicize it. The people that I know who have serious problems don't complain about them and try their best to sort them out, although (and this is the people I know, I am not generalizing) they do tend to drink quite heavily and take drugs. The people that I know who don't have real problems whine all the time and deliberately show off their cuts, acting all suprised and ashamed when you see the cuts (how could you not when they're holding them in your face)?
And besides, not only being labeled as an attention seeker, you get ugly scars. I hate the scars I have from falling over as a child, and would do anything to get rid of them. I don't understand how people can want scars.

I'm an ex cutter. I started one day when I was about eleven. I was so stressed out and emotionally distraught, I needed a release. When I would press the blade into my skin and feel the sting as it cut, it was the best thing ever. That was it, my addiction had begun.
I couldn't stop, even after my parents found out. Nothing they said or did could stop me. After two years, my arms were scarred and scabbed. And I still couldn't stop. I was doing it at least over four times a day.
One day, about six months ago, I went into the bathroom and grabbed my pink razor. I made the cut, but it lacked the feeling I usually got. I kept trying to cut and get the feeling, but it didn't happen. I realized that I didn't need it any more, and I stopped, just like that.
I don't know if it usually happens that way, you just suddenly stop, but I did. Maybe I got lucky. I don't know. It's a horrible addiction. It really is. And it is NOT COOL at all. I don't recommend it, and there are other things you can do to release stress and anxiety.

It is hard to judge this. Some peeople really cut because they are hurt and they just do not know what else to do. People try to tell them to make better choices but whena person is depressed, depression takes over their mind and they cannot control it. The comment below this one does a good job of talking about that. However, there are some people who cut to fit in. They think that being all depressed is a new trend. What they do not understand is the severity of what they are doing. Not only are they displaying cutting as being cool, but also they are mocking the true cutters making their depression worse.

Wow, great article. ^_^
I like how you mentioned the thing about it making people feel in control.
It's kind of like the, if there's a big fire, firefighters will make a small rong of fire around it to keep it contained. It's like making your own small ring of fire to contain the big problems.
Unfortunetely, some people just play with "the "fire" because the think it's cool. Why? Because angst is an appeal. The human race has always been interested in drama, scandal, and angst. It makes you feel deep. And being so deep and angst enough to harm yourself makes you feel cool.
But it isn't. And I wish some people would just hurry up and realzie this.

i never really get the people that do it for attention.
I dont really know why i did or do it but i dont think it was ever for attention.
i think it was more the "feeling alive" cor my counselor doesnt seem to get that and keeps trying to find deeper meaning!its quite frustrating.People, do NOT cut yourselves EVER! its a horrible addiction and very hard to end!

Yeah it's bad... I'm not sure why people do it for attention and so on that's just no good.
I did it for a matter of time, but then my life was just falling apart and things were hard. I never told anyone and tried to find other things to do instead but the urge is there... It's always there.
But I know some people who do it without a reason and they're even proud off it... that is wrong.
I think we should help the poeple that do it..

I hate that cutting these days is just some people trying to get attention. its a serious problem, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. this one girl at my school last year cut herself once, and then the next day she was showing everyone and she got a whole bunch of people saying 'oh my gosh! promise me that you'll never do that again!' and 'be careful!' and stuff like that and it was ridiculous because all she wanted was attention. unfortunately at the school I was at, cutting became a trend and people did it just because other people were doing it, and they thought they were being 'cool' and getting attention.

CarryMeToTheEnd- some people do cut just for attention. like I said above, but others cut for serious reasons, and yes it is a very bad, and dangerous addiction. in a certain sense, people who cut are asking for attention, but its in a way that they want someone to care for them. they want someone to notice that their life isn't wonderful, and something morally bad is going on with them. they want someone to see the scars, and take notice. in many ways its a call for help, and also in many ways, like this article mentions, it a way for some people to feel again. some people end up so emotionally numb that all they want to do is feel again, and that can lead to self harm. it gets to a point where pain feels good because, well, you're FEELING something. its a change from being numb. (and this isn't just me rambling. I know this feeling, and yes, I did cut but I have stopped)

thankfully though, some people are at least starting to realize that cutting isn't just a 'bunch of emo kids' who are 'to emotional for their own good'. organazations like To Write Love On Her Arms demonstrate that cutting/self harm is a serious problem, and should be taken into more consideration be society.

I used to think that people that cut themselves were stupid, and then I started cutting myself. I hate it like hell, I hate the hiding the scars. But why does it feel so damn good?