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Self Harm (Warning: Possible Trigger)

Poll

Have you ever committed an act of self-harm?

It recently occurred to me that a very large number of people I know have self harmed at one time or another. I know that there's growing awareness of the problem, which is good, but I still don't think that a lot of people realise just how wide-spread it is. I thought it might be interesting to do a poll here to see what the results are.

I really hope that no-one is offended by this, I know it's a very sensitive subject but also an important one.

To clarify: I am taking 'self-harm' to be anything which causes deliberate physical pain.

Reply 1

scribble_girl

14

Just a quick point, the sample might not be completely representative, as those who've self harmed are probably more likely to view the topic -
but well done for starting this all the same.

Reply 2

Azzle

1

i used to be really ashamed to admit it, but now it seems more acknowledged that people do it, especially on here. it's really helped me to talk about it and read about others' experiences

Reply 3

sim90

13

What do you mean by self-harm? Physical? Mental?

Reply 4

Eustacia

OP

I'm referring to physical, as I say in the original post. I'm aware that there are mental forms of self-harm, but I'm just wanting to look at the physical, partly because it gets so much more complicated when including mental self-harm.

Reply 5

supernova2

11

I dont really get why so many people do it. It just seems like a bit of a waste of time to me more than anything else. Someone explain!

Reply 6

tldevil

1

causing yourself harm on the outside is really a way of temporarily distracting you from emotional pain that is deeper.

Reply 7

Eustacia

OP

Physically speaking, pain causes endorphins to be released, which can help to numb the emotional pain. Also, some people find physical pain much easier to cope with than emotional pain.

Reply 8

Talya

16

I'm glad I didn't hear about this until I was older, if I'd have heard about it when I was younger I might have tried doing it, but the thought never occurred to me. Luckily.

Reply 9

Dragon24

17

Talya

I'm glad I didn't hear about this until I was older, if I'd have heard about it when I was younger I might have tried doing it, but the thought never occurred to me. Luckily.

Totally agree, I never thought about doing something like that.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

supernova2

I dont really get why so many people do it. It just seems like a bit of a waste of time to me more than anything else. Someone explain!

When I did it, I was quite depressed and thought about suicide a lot. I think causing myself physical pain was my way of entertaining these ideas. I played 'games' where I'd see how long I could go without eating, or see how close to a vein I could get before I stopped cutting my arm.

It was also kind of satisfying in a weird way to SEE my pain.

I usually cut in weird places that no one would see unless I undressed in front of them, and I felt kind of...comforted...by seeing that mark (scar or fresh) when changing. I sometimes reopened old wounds, or cut over scars, just for that weird satisfied feeling.

I feel really ashamed about them now, though. I have one large scar on my arm, and I'm really self-concious about it. I don't want to seem "emo", so I do my best not to make that part of my arm visible in the light.

Reply 11

Juno

20

Talya

I'm glad I didn't hear about this until I was older, if I'd have heard about it when I was younger I might have tried doing it, but the thought never occurred to me. Luckily.

I hadn't heard of it when I did it. That kinda added to it, as it made me feel a freak and then I felt worse.

Reply 12

Anonymous #2

In the past few months, I've been overly depressed, have not had anyone to talk to so spend most nights in alone. I've only SH once, and my thoughts at the time were that I've suffered near enough 10years of mental suffering, what difference will a small amount of physical harm cause.

It felt good when I did it, I was actually able to smile as a result.

I know this sounds twisted and I know I am twisted. But meh.

Reply 13

Purple-Sparkle

I self harmed once when I was 15. I was suffering depression because I was being bullied at school which drove me to it. I scarred myself and still have the small scar today. Its not something I'd ever think of and do again. Have you noticed its mainly teenagers who do it?

Reply 14

supernova2

11

I just don't get like how is it going to solve any problems, it just hurts. Why don't people just like run through a bunch of stingy nettles or something.

Reply 15

Eustacia

OP

supernova2

I just don't get like how is it going to solve any problems, it just hurts. Why don't people just like run through a bunch of stingy nettles or something.

I doubt anyone thinks it is going to solve any problems - it's more of a coping mechanism. And running through nettles in the context you are referring to would constitute self-harm.

Reply 16

supernova2

11

I dunno I suppose I just don't see a lot of problems that people have today are worthy enough of getting all angry and emotional like that. The only thing that really scares me is thinking about the inevitability of death and how i probably will never be remember in 100 years time. But theres nothing you can do about that so why worry.

I would've thought a better release for pent up problems would be to sort your life out. Theres no better feeling than when you feel content even if its for about 5 minutes, its what life is worth living for.

and Eustacia that what I'm talking about, you get the short term pain that might bring you around without having the long term scars that just act as a reminder for however long they last.

Reply 17

Anonymous #3

I did it. I did it from a very very young age. I thought I was the only one did it. It's was because someone raped me. I didn't like it but I was so scared and I would just run in the bathroom and hide and pull my hair because I was so scared he was going to come and find me. He was a family friend not some random stranger so It wasn't like I could just tell him and his family to stop coming especially I was like 6-8 years old. They were hardly going to take any notice of me.

I also been so so ill since I was 11 and put on many pills and many hospital admissions. I was really annoyed. I thought I brought it on all myself so I self-harmed a lot then as well. I still do it. but I do it unconciously. I don't realise I'm doing unless someone tells me. It's mainly something quite simple like hair pulling, scratching etc.

I really can't break this annoying cycle of depression which soons lead to some form of SH. Also I am quite a perfectionist. If I can't do something all perfect or pleasing people etc. I really really feel dissapointed with myself and think I could of prevented this happening by ..... blah blah blah.

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

supernova2

I just don't get like how is it going to solve any problems, it just hurts. Why don't people just like run through a bunch of stingy nettles or something.

It doesn't solve problems, and I don't think anyone who self-harms expects it to. It's mostly just a release of emotions, or a way to make the pain you feel into something tangible.

A lot of people who have emotional stresses DO do things like running through stingy nettles....most people say they're being "reckless"...it's kind of a different form of release.

I think those who self-harm by cutting do it in that form because they can decide where to hurt themselves, decide how much to make it hurt, decide what they want the wounds to look like, etc.

You can't shape your emotions in that way, nor can you shape the risk/outcome when you do "reckless" things.

I would've thought a better release for pent up problems would be to sort your life out.

Yeah, but that takes time and effort that many people in emotionally screwed states cannot muster up. If you'd ever been in a deep depression, you'd know how helpless it can feel sometimes. Like there's no way out. I've been so depressed that the mental pain almost felt like physical pain. I've been so depressed that breathing seemed like an effort. Yes, sorting my life out would have been better, but if the knife is nearer and faster....

Reply 19

supernova2

11

yeah but it doesn't sort anything out so whats the point? It doesn't change anything except it makes you hurt.

A book could be closer than a knife but its not like your gonna smack yourself over the head with that to make a point. I think its just some kind of stigma thats been built up around cutting with a knife that makes it seem appealing.

Most people face similar problems in life I suppose its just how people cope with them.

Self Harm (Warning: Possible Trigger)

Have you ever committed an act of self-harm?

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