Poll: Self harm (serious topic)

[Mutie]

No... I once had a girlfriend that did. When all of your primal instincts are telling you to protect that which you love, there is little more heartbreaking than knowing that the one thing hurting her is she, herself. I swore, against all the hatred which wells against my own self, then would never turn a blade. However, I have formed the unfortunate habit of biting my hands... it's something which happens, before I realise it, when I express great emotion. I'm trying to wean myself out of the habit, I do not like it.

 

[F4LL3N]

I used too. It was back in my little emo phase. It annoys me when people call it pathetic or a grab for attention, as if they know better.

Believe it or not, it actually relieves pain, and before long it becomes addictive. Addictive like when you haven't had a smoke in a few days and then you have one and you feel queezy and can't stop shaking. I would even compare it to the first time you spoon a chick in bed and your wondering if your getting lucky tonight, alcohol not included.

I think it releases hormones. Although I'm not a scientist so don't quote me on it.

 

[Rossmallo]

I have, but not for the reasons you guys may be thinking. I get nasty headaches due to hayfever, and when i was getting particularly infuriated by them, I poked the back of my head so hard with one of those flossing sticks it bled a bit.

What worries me is that it actually helped.

 

[Sun Flash]

I've never cut or hurt myself purposefully but if I get in a big enough argument or am angry enough, I'm prone to butting/punching/kicking stuff only to regret it half an hour later. I broke my foot doing that once. Luckily it doesn't happen often.

 

[LuckyClover95]

Sort of, when I had really really awful period pains I did a few self harming things literally because (girls who have bad periods would understand, sorry for awkward subject guys) anything to distract me from the period pains, even for the few seconds it lasts. So I did shit to myself but it wasn't for emotional reasons, just for distraction from other pain.
Eugh, this has happened in a few periods.

 

[Jonluw]

I do, once in a while cut myself.
I'm shit at it though. I don't know if it's because the knife isn't sharp enough, or if it's my instincts, but I can't bring myself to make anything more than superficial cuts. Putting pressure on the blade and pulling just takes too much willpower.

I basically do it whenever I fall back into my depressions. I'm normally a pretty happy or at least apathetic guy, but I have some issues, so all it takes is a little push e.g. someone close to me getting angry at me to send me spiralling downards in a self-destructive thought pattern.
I dunno why my depression goes on and off like that. Maybe I'm bipolar *shrug*

I haven't had an extended period of depression in a long time though.

 

[novixz]

I tried it once just to see if I would enjoyed. I did a little, but not enough to do it again. Then I started to do it again for my GF. I don't do it anymore.

 

[Chris4276]

NEVER hahah i have a lot to look forward to in my life

 

[Jonluw]

I used too. It was back in my little emo phase. It annoys me when people call it pathetic or a grab for attention, as if they know better.

Believe it or not, it actually relieves pain, and before long it becomes addictive. Addictive like when you haven't had a smoke in a few days and then you have one and you feel queezy and can't stop shaking. I would even compare it to the first time you spoon a chick in bed and your wondering if your getting lucky tonight, alcohol not included.

I think it releases hormones. Although I'm not a scientist so don't quote me on it.

I think that might be right.
It feels like relief, if you ask me. I'd liken it to masturbating, where the (mental) pain is like arousal, and the cutting is the climax. The sensation sort of just surges through your body and relieves. It's like cutting open a hole to let the tension out.

 

[Klarinette]

I never wanted to kill myself, and I never wanted anyone to see/notice/care. It wasn't about that. It was for me and how it made me feel. It's hard to explain (and sounds really stupid if I don't do it properly).

But yeah... I don't do it anymore.

Does drinking heavily count?

I'm my opinion, it does. And I hear you on that one.

 

[Terminal Blue]

Sort of, when I had really really awful period pains I did a few self harming things literally because (girls who have bad periods would understand, sorry for awkward subject guys) anything to distract me from the period pains, even for the few seconds it lasts. So I did shit to myself but it wasn't for emotional reasons, just for distraction from other pain.

Forgive my being really intrusive, but are you on the pill?

If you're not, I know a lot of girls with really nasty periods who found they got a lot better once they went on the pill. Plus, you know, it's good to get in the habit whether you're sexually active or not.

Also, I grew up in Norfolk too. Gimme' six!

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

Yeah, a lot and in many different ways.

I've been clinically depressed for all of my adult life. When things go wrong, I don't seem to have the mechanisms to contain unhappiness and anxiety. It just overwhelms everything, I can't sleep, I can't do anything useful, I'm horrible to everyone I know and basically I just stagnate. Self harming somehow brings back a measure of control. It's a little like crying or being sick in that it's not very nice but when you get to the end you feel better somehow, it's a feeling of relief I suppose.

I think the standard psychological line nowadays is that people who self harm regularly are generally okay doing so so long as they aren't putting themselves in danger. It's recognized as an important coping mechanism for many people, so the advice is generally to try and manage self harming rather than stop it outright. It's not something to be ashamed of as long as you aren't putting yourself at risk.

I think it releases hormones. Although I'm not a scientist so don't quote me on it.

Not hormones, adrenaline. Any kind of pain response produces adrenaline which gives a little rush. It is addictive, but I think the effect is often overstated next to the psychological basis of self-harm.

 

[PatrickXD]

I suppose I have, though only in stressful situations. Not severely, either, just digging my nails into my thigh or palm by clenching tightly. I very rarely draw blood, it's pretty much just anger management.

 

[F4LL3N]

I think that might be right.
It feels like relief, if you ask me. I'd liken it to masturbating, where the (mental) pain is like arousal, and the cutting is the climax. The sensation sort of just surges through your body and relieves. It's like cutting open a hole to let the tension out.

I wouldn't personally compare it to anything sexual.

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure when your in pain your body releases dophemines or whatever they are as a natural pain killer. Bleeding would also reduce blood pressure which helps your brain.

Kinda on topic: I used to get random nose bleeds and sometimes I'd just stand over the sink and let it bleed out for a few minutes. It helps get rid of headaches. Cutting would have a similar effect on top of release hormones.

So regardless of what some people say, that it's strictly for attention, no actually it's quite often not. I guess that's why a lot of people say they don't know why they do it. And most people would probably tell you it makes them feel better.

EDIT: Yeah, perhaps adrenaline. Although I do remember hearing the natural pain killer thing. Like if you have a headache you should have sex to get rid of it.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Does scratching when stressed out count? A combination of stress and a dry skin have made my legs look like a battlefield of scar tissue.

It's nothing really serious, nothing like cutting yourself. Hell it doesn't even hurt. It's a habit I guess, a bit like nailbiting, which I also have to get rid of. Again. Dammit I was bite-free for like 6 months, now it's all back again.

 

[Jumplion]

I never have and I never plan to. I am much too stubborn to succumb to that kind of stuff, especially after I saw other kids with the scars and marks after they had done it. It's not something I want to mingle with and would only serve to make any sort of condition I have worse. I trust myself that if I ever do that kind of thing I would turn myself in to some treatment, but it's never a nice thing to do.

 

[Sovvolf]

Nope, pain hurts, not something I'd want to inflict on myself. Worst I've done is bite my arm when I got frustrated at a game but I haven't done that since I was 9. I honestly don't really understand why people do it.

 

[InfiniteSingularity]

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

I'm wanting to know other people's experiences with self harm and I want to get some other perspectives on it. Let's keep this serious, as this can be a sensitive issue. And don't feel obliged to contribute

i'm too cool for self-harm. also keeping things serious is boring, why would we want to do that?

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

How can it be for attention when most people hide it out of fear?

 

[GodofDisaster]

I'll never do something like cutting myself, but when ever I feel enraged over something rather than screaming, I tend to bite myself in the arm. Though I've been told to stop.

 

[BrassButtons]

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

Because it's normal for people who want attention to cut themselves so they bleed? Do you have any comprehension of what it takes to actually do that? The desire to avoid injury and pain is pretty strong in most people, self-injurers included. Could YOU take a razor to your skin and make yourself bleed, deliberately, just because? I doubt it. So yeah, some people might do this (at least partially) for attention, but that does not mean it should be dismissed. Anyone who does this for attention needs help, just as much as someone who does it to cope with other issues.

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

I started self-harming about a decade ago, and I still struggle with it. Mostly I use it as a way of coping with emotions that I don't know how to handle, but there's an addictive aspect as well. It's calming (I know that probably sounds very strange to anyone who has never self-harmed, but it's true).

 

[Outright Villainy]

No, but I used know someone who did, so I know well enough about it anyway. It really just hinted at a much bigger problem, so we didn't discuss that aspect so much. Though one time when I saw their arm covered in blood it hit pretty hard.