Cutting- The "New Age Anorexia"

[olpluvr]

Mutilation, self-inflicted wounds, cutting, parasuicide. We hear about teenagers who cut parts of their body due to emotional distress, but there remains the true question: are these teenagers cutting to gain attention from family others, to fit in with other teenagers who are also doing it, or is it being done in secret to rid of emotional pain?

Comments

[ferret_angels]

Ok this is a GREAT topic, I can see a whole bunch of arguments for this one

Response: ferret_angels

[olpluvr]

I believe there are 2 different types of "mutilators", if you will. As you have mentioned above, there are those who really do have a problem or fixation with self-harm and others who are doing it just because. The only reason I can come up with for the second type of person affiliated with self-injury is that he/she feels alone and has no other way to get attention.

But for those people, they may realize that it is a great way to get rid of stress- or at least forget it for the time being. For those who are addicted to it, there must be a trigger to become addicted in the first place so even if they are "crying wolf" it should be taken seriously so it doesn't become an action that they cannot help.

And I can assure you that all "know that mutilation is NOT a healthy answer, and should just not do it" but what about those who honestly cannot help tearing flesh from their bodies and/or picking up scissors and slicing their wrists? That guilt trip just makes them feel more indifferent and they keep asking "WHY, WHY CAN'T I STOP?!?!?!

Re: Response: ferret_angels

[ferret_angels]

What I am trying to understand is the whole aspect of one slicing themselves to alleviate stress. Even though I definitely don't promote smoking/drug use/alcoholism in any way, I can understand why a person would use those as crutches when stressed out. All of those things have an addictive ingredient that hooks the user, and are proven to provide relaxation. I just cannot understand how physically harming oneself would help in any way. One could say it's "addictive" but there isn't any "ingredient

[moshiicake]

I've got two perspectives on this one

[ferret_angels]

That's interesting...I honestly never knew a person could "do it" without even knowing".
Just out of curiousity, did you feel any pain while you did it?! I wonder if one's senses become dulled so much by depression that they do not feel a thing, or that they feel the pain and do not care, or feel the pain and "like it" in a sense.
I appreciate you sharing your personal experiences, I have never been a cutter, and am interested in hearing what people who where/are went through.
Thanks for the insight(and if you feel my questions are too intrusive, I am sorry for being nosey).
Chrissy

[emaling]

from expierience without knowing it:
-cutting is a "stress reliever" but doesnt actualy get anything better
-It is a sign of wanting help...not attention
-they dont know what to do with themselves so they do that

[olpluvr]

You may not hear about older people doing it, but they still do. It may not be as often as younger people since many older people have learned how to deal with many situations. The genetic disease you may be speaking of in your first paragraph could be physical, but what about the genetic pass-down of depression? The lack of coping methods taught to children of people who suffer various degrees of depression get taught these horrible coping methods (or none at all and they teach themselves).

To say that this is a strictly teenage disease is very straight-forward and leaves no room for swaying your decision on that. I have met a man in his late 30's who cut himself extremely because of his bipolar condition, along with other emotional problems (one was post-traumatic stress disorder from being in the military). Even if this man was the only person his age to suffer this, that doesn't go with your theory. It just seems that the media attention is directed at teenagers because society wants to help them before it gets as severe as the

[iluvu2010]

hm thats a vary wow kinda topic....i have a vary good friend who cuts and i try my best to stop her but ...it is her body ...i think that it is to each her/his own .......i dont think that cuting is a good way to get anything ...if he/she is upset or stressed there many outher way to deal ....like 4 me when i am upset or what ever i just call up my best friend and she helps me through it ...but thats just me ...if i cant seem to get ahold of my friend i also like to lison to music and just think mabe right something in a journal ....

self mutilation never ENDS anything forever . yes maybe it gets the pain to go away for a moment . or a day . but eventually he/she is going to get mad again and agian continue down the road of cutting themselves . so think of it in this way . cutting NEVER SOLVES ANYTHING FOREVER . if u cut . it doesnt take pain away it just adds up to the long road your going to have to go down eventually called RECOVERY!!!

~kelsie and hailey~