Self Harm: Is It Easy To Stop?

It’s been half a year since I last cut, and to me that’s an achievement and marks the start of a new life in a way. When I first admitted to having a problem and starting to tell people I trusted, one comment stuck out above the rest. They made out it was easy to stop cutting and I was an ‘over-dramatic emo cry baby’. It was their main comment though that has lead me to ask the question, is it really that easy to stop cutting?

When I started to tell the people I trusted, I found out who I really could trust and someone I later found out I couldn’t, practically spat at me that I was stupid for cutting and it’s easy to stop you just have to ‘put down the razor blade’.

It made me wonder what it’s like from an outside view that’s never encountered it before. In a later conversation, a comment which some other people made to me is that people who cut either do it for attention or are just stupid who exaggerate their problems. Personally I can barely agree with any of that statement.

Yes, in the latest ‘emo’ trend, some people thought it was ‘cool to cut’ and maybe they were doing it for attention, but that aside, can you really just classify everyone who does self harm as ‘attention seekers’ and ‘over-dramatic’?

From a personal view I would say someone who cuts may subconsciously be looking for attention or it may be something else. It’s a problem. Anything that causes someone to cut is a problem, and it obviously holds a big part to their lives. No matter what it is, why do some people continue to believe that it’s completely controllable?

I know people who have also cut, through Mibba or through groups and other places, but not everyone has found they can control it. For some, they don’t know why they cut; others only know part of it and for some they understand as much as possible. Every situations different and the level of strength that person has varies so from my perspective I’d say the situation varies, but for most it’s no-where near a walk in the park.

In my opinion what this girl said was completely wrong and that she shouldn’t have judged everyone with a connecting factor that they harm themselves in some way. I feel the media has blown this up way too much.

She’s not gonna be the only person in the world with this point of view, but to me, my stance on this topic is most likely gonna stand at this; If you cut, it’s part of who you are, they're your personal problems and an individual does not sum up a whole situation. Cutting does not mean you’re over dramatic or necessarily want attention, but it does mean you need help from people close to you or professionals to overcome the situation. It doesn’t mean it’s easy, in fact, quite the opposite for the majority, and you may not quit cold turkey.

If you know anyone who self harms, please tell someone. Not necessarily another friend, but possibly a relative. For more info, visit the Samaritans website : http://www.samaritans.org/