Are All These "A Cry For Attention" Articles in Fact Desperate Pleas For Attention? - Comments

I think its a little of both actually. As well as a learned habit sometimes.

I am an ex cutter/burner from around the time I was in 6th grade which was before I even knew anyone else did it, to like the middle of 8th grade is when I truly stopped.

I know for me and for most of the friends I acquired who where self harmers by more than just the "usual", we did it for about 2 or 3 main reasons.

1. We felt terribly, sad, angry, unwanted, isolated etc. and found it as a release for these negative emotions. I personally saw it as, if I'm so angry/sad there is no one I can rightfully take it out on but myself.

2. The second, is not more or less to release the emotion but to outwardly show the emotion. Or know that our suffering is visible on us, or physically affects us, like-- look what you did to me/made me do to myself by causing me these feelings. Or showing yourself that you feel at all when your emotionally numb.

3. The third if not all reason is indeed a cry for attention but not just attention needy (at least in most cases) but a cry for help. Even though most of us will hide our markings or abusive habit a lot of the time a secret part of us is wanting the right person to see and to know they are there. Even if it's just within the group because you know when they see/know (at least the group that is not all people) that they will help you and understand.

But the reason I say it's an acquired habit is because (not to down size anyone's problems but) there are the people who have real ground breaking problems and issues in their lives that do this, It doesn't make it right for anyone BUT Others see how it helps draw attention to them usually from a group of friends, and it causes them to turn everyone of their own problems in to a dire tragedy so that they can get the attention of their friends. Like they see self harm as a way to make their friends/family take more interest in their problems or life, they feel with out it no one would care, or they would somehow feel less important than someone else. These are the ones who seek the most attention, and usually take it to a higher extreme to feel more accepted. These self harmers are usually driven by just insecurity.

SO I think it's a cry for help either way but I also think for some they have developed these habits as part of a fad because they see it draws help/attention and fills an insecurity.

Amen.

I've never understood the "They're just doing it for attention" argument either--in my opinion, if you're so desperate for attention that you're willing to hurt yourself for it, you need help every bit as much as someone who self-harms for any other reason. Well-written and logical. Excellent work.

yay, well done, I think that that was a great article, you weren't pittying anyone, nor afending either. 8]

Oh holy hell

A reasonable, well balanced, well written article :cheese:
Its been a long time since I read one of these on Mibba.

Bravo.

Yeah, anorexia is a form of self-harm, too, right? I've had two of my friends admit to me that they had been anorexic this past month. I know I'm selfish for saying it, but it is truly disturbing that I was totally blind to it. I wish my friends could talk to me about this stuff-- people who hurt themselves need someone to talk to. Isolation is never the answer since, in most cases, people don't harm themselves in public...

I pulled out my eyelashes when I was younger. OH LORDY, I SELF HARMED!

I love this. Finally someone who understands the other side of it. Amazing article. I;m with you the whole way!

Great article.

Thats about all I can say....

Backing up your opinions with facts is always smart ;)
Very well-written. Hopefully all those other people who wrote articles calling people attention-seeking emos will read this and maybe your words will slap sense into them ^.^

i wonder if they have a self harm like AA (alcohols anonymous) group?
because it seems to me
when i tel people my name
i should jsut say
helo, my name is max
and i harm myself

Wow, finally an article with FACTS.
Nicely done. :D

Lol. This was wonderful. I agree totally.

Great article, great research ;)

It worries me that we get so many of these "attention seeking" articles, is that really how low our society is these days? I'm glad you brought this issue to the forefront, and the fact that it's well written (as always my dear) and backed up with statistics, means so much more than those opinionated drivel articles that make no sense.

Aw, shucks.

Thank you, researching this was probably one of the most saddening things I've done in a while. Glad to know some people appreciate the effort.

thank you. i'm glad someone has finally written something like this. i'm sick of reading about how ppl who cut are attention seeking emos.

You made an article out of it! Yay! :D

I thought this was going to be really shitty, but I was wrong. Not only is it well written, but it also is informing these people writing the "cry for attention" articles that cutting isn't the only way to self-harm. You did miss an important self-harming addiction. Anorexia and bulimia are huge these days, too.

Thank you! This is probably the first the article I've read about self-harm that had some excellent points, not simply opinions! For people who have never experienced self-harm, and have never researched it, this can help people understand things a bit better. It was brillantly written. Kudos to you!

I fucking love you for writing this excellent article! Love the title too. ^-^ Excellently written and just lovely. Thank YOU!

Very well written. I hope that "PunkxxPrincess" tart who wrote tha last cutting article will read this and realize what a dipshit she is.