| There are as many reasons for self-harming as there are self-harmers, but it is often a means of expressing distress, and as such, reasons may include |
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Needing relief from powerful, intense, or difficult emotions (e.g. anger, depression, anxiety) Finding that self-harm relieves tension and distress Wanting to escape from certain memories or situations in life Wanting to escape feelings of numbness, or to feel 'alive' Feeling ugly & wanting punishment Wanting to change something in life Seeking to turn emotional distress into physical pain. Cutting can help turn internal pain into something more external and treatable. For me shyness was a major problem... because i always found it difficult to talk to people for fear of being laughed at, I never knew what to say and so just stopped talking to people. Cut off from other people i had all the emotions that weren't being dealt with. I couldn't express things i felt, and didn't realise when i needed help. If i'd been less of a verbal minimalist i think i'd dealt with things better! |
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| * Why? * |
| People who self-harm often do so for a number of reasons, so you should never assume you know why a person is hurting themselves. Equally, dont assume they can stop as soon as they want to, as this is usually a difficult and lengthy process. As a coping mechanism it is addictive in that everytime you are feeling distressed your thoughts turn to self-harm. The urges will stay until you harm, or eventually start to feel better. Something that self-injury usually IS NOT, is a suicide attempt. To someone in emotional distress, all they will want is to remove that pain. Rather than escaping it by choosing suicide, the self-harmer is trying to release the pain so they can continue to live without it. The physiological response to cutting/ burning is an increase in the level of endorphins in the blood, resulting in numbing and even a pleasurable sensation. Self-harm may also form a part of other mental ill-health, such as eating disorders, depression or anxiety. Some sufferers may have suffered traumatic events in the past, such as abuse, or may be currently struggling with issues such as sexual orientation, relationships, or simply academic work. Talking is so important in dealing with any kind of emotions. See the talking about self-injury page. |