Posting pictures of self harm
Why do people post pictures of things like self harm and then caption them with things like 'my cuts are tiny' when they are clearly not. I understand people posting pictures of scars but some people even post videos of their cuts bleeding. Another self harmer may look at these posts and think their cuts aren't big enough. I'm an ex self harmer and I still don't understand this.
I think its an impossible question to answer without speaking to the people who do this, and even then they may not truly understand why they do it themselves. I'm guessing that if someone is already at the point of self harming they are already very distressed/upset/ in pain, and they post online in order to seek some form of solidarity amongst others in a similar situation. As for captions which sort of play down the exent of their self harm, may be its a way of expressing some form of self depreciation (if that's the right term) or belittling their problems, as some , though not all, those who self harm often have very low self esteem and see themselves as worthless at least some of the time, and being self critical and both down playing their self harm is one way to express this.
Original post by Anonymous
Why do people post pictures of things like self harm and then caption them with things like 'my cuts are tiny' when they are clearly not. I understand people posting pictures of scars but some people even post videos of their cuts bleeding. Another self harmer may look at these posts and think their cuts aren't big enough. I'm an ex self harmer and I still don't understand this.
Attention seeking / messed up plea for help.
I think there's so many possible reasons, some complicated. I knew a girl who did it because when it lead everyone to think she was just an attention seeker, people stopped treating is seriously, which made it feel like a lot less of a big deal to her, which contrasted when she was told how awful it was and how it was a big deal
The general romanticisation of self-harm online and in popular culture is a huge issue, and unfortunately platforms like Tumblr only exacerbate this. People post images of their cuts and scars because it's portrayed as 'edgy'- that's the reason many of them start in the first place. Often it'll start as an experiment, because everyone else appears to be doing it, and develop into a habit, an addiction, and can often lead to suicidal thoughts. It really needs addressing.
I wouldn't automatically pass it off as attention seeking. It can be, but then if someone is prepared to hurt themselves potentially badly for attention then there's something needs addressing anyway. It is a slippery slope to go down, with people constantly feeling of being told they're not doing it badly enough, and spirals out of control very quickly- even faster than it can do without being public. Stating the obvious, but self harming is not good, whatever the reasons behind it.
Original post by furryface12
I wouldn't automatically pass it off as attention seeking. It can be, but then if someone is prepared to hurt themselves potentially badly for attention then there's something needs addressing anyway. It is a slippery slope to go down, with people constantly feeling of being told they're not doing it badly enough, and spirals out of control very quickly- even faster than it can do without being public. Stating the obvious, but self harming is not good, whatever the reasons behind it.
Neither would I, (great minds think alike I guess!
) but it may be down to the fact that self harming is one of those "been there, done that" things for myself, four years ago, I tried burning myself with a cigarette lighter*, and I thought my mum would be quick to dismiss me as a mere attention seeker, given that she is like that when she sees people post about it on Facebook, but nope, she immediately begged and pleaded with the local clinic to book me an emergency counselling appointment and the emergency counselling session went on for a few hours after the place was officially closed for the rest of the night.*I never actually managed to burn myself, I'd cower out as soon as the flame was next to my skin, then would put the lighter out again.
Original post by Anonymous
Why do people post pictures of things like self harm and then caption them with things like 'my cuts are tiny' when they are clearly not. I understand people posting pictures of scars but some people even post videos of their cuts bleeding. Another self harmer may look at these posts and think their cuts aren't big enough. I'm an ex self harmer and I still don't understand this.
I personally cannot understand it - for me self harm was very private and I didn't want others to know I self harm, I found it very difficult to go to hospital for treatment as doctors would have to see the cuts and treat them.
I don't think it is necessarily attention seeking. It may be one way of showing your hurt, especially if no one else is listening. I've heard that some people feel that feel they are bad at everything, but they are good at being "ill" - maybe trying to get someone to say, "you're cuts are big" is a way of getting some kind of pride in yourself. Not saying it's healthy but all possibilities.
Original post by The Snowman
Neither would I, (great minds think alike I guess! ) but it may be down to the fact that self harming is one of those "been there, done that" things for myself, four years ago, I tried burning myself with a cigarette lighter*, and I thought my mum would be quick to dismiss me as a mere attention seeker, given that she is like that when she sees people post about it on Facebook, but nope, she immediately begged and pleaded with the local clinic to book me an emergency counselling appointment and the emergency counselling session went on for a few hours after the place was officially closed for the rest of the night.
*I never actually managed to burn myself, I'd cower out as soon as the flame was next to my skin, then would put the lighter out again.
) but it may be down to the fact that self harming is one of those "been there, done that" things for myself, four years ago, I tried burning myself with a cigarette lighter*, and I thought my mum would be quick to dismiss me as a mere attention seeker, given that she is like that when she sees people post about it on Facebook, but nope, she immediately begged and pleaded with the local clinic to book me an emergency counselling appointment and the emergency counselling session went on for a few hours after the place was officially closed for the rest of the night.*I never actually managed to burn myself, I'd cower out as soon as the flame was next to my skin, then would put the lighter out again.
This is true. I self harmed for years but it is something you have to have seriously thought about to understand i think. I never posted pictures and there's very few people know I did it even now. But think it's probably a similar thing
Original post by Anonymous
Why do people post pictures of things like self harm and then caption them with things like 'my cuts are tiny' when they are clearly not. I understand people posting pictures of scars but some people even post videos of their cuts bleeding. Another self harmer may look at these posts and think their cuts aren't big enough. I'm an ex self harmer and I still don't understand this.
Taking photos is attention seeking. Doing it without photo taking necessarily isn't so.
Cutting releases hormones that are powerful pain inhibitors that stop whatever pain the sufferer is going through.
Original post by Anonymous
Why do people post pictures of things like self harm and then caption them with things like 'my cuts are tiny' when they are clearly not. I understand people posting pictures of scars but some people even post videos of their cuts bleeding. Another self harmer may look at these posts and think their cuts aren't big enough. I'm an ex self harmer and I still don't understand this.
Depending on the person - I think its a desperate cry for help. Some people cannot vocalise how they are feeling, so they publicise their self-harm to ensure that someone will notice, someone will care.
At least that's what I think.
