Cutting for Attention?!


Question: Cutting for Attention!?
Why do people think everyone who cuts does it for attention!? Obviously this isn't always the case seeing how most people who do cut try to HIDE their cuts!. I've never seen a cutter who has show his/her cuts blatantly!. They usually have long sleeves on or a wrist band!. So why are people under the impression that everyone who cuts does it for attention!? They lack intelligence apparently!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
It depends!.

In my experience, there are three kinds of cutters;

There's the simple urge- I'm!.!.!. pretty familiar with this one!. One gets this incredible irrational fear of cutting (often initiated by one smaller cut) and at the same time, an incredible desire to do it just to make the fear go away!.!.!. However, once you do the first cut, the fear just gets stronger!. This is the usually considered the actual mental illness, rather than a side effect of another problem!.

The second is the old 'one pain can dull another!.' I'm a little less intimately familiar with this one, but still a little!. People cut themselves because the physical pain distracts them from their mental pain!.

The third are the attention seekers!. Remember, it is a mental 'illness'- they get the fantasy in their head of someone discovering it and helping them!. Some who don't want to admit they're doing it for attention hide it, so as not to feel like they are seeking attention; but they still desperately desire attention for it!. These are probably the hardest ones to help, because you can just make it worse if you help them!. I've never done this with cutting, though I know people who have!. I'll now admit to doing things like this, though; I!.E, I used to work out in the public park at night!.!.!. I was hidden away, but I just couldn't motivate myself at home the way I could there, because I was hoping someone would discover me that I could talk to!. When I asked my psychiatrist, he used that to explain it to me, so it's the best way I can explain it to you!.

Of course, that's without delving into the people who do it as a fetish!.!.!. Don't think that's appropriate to go into here!.

Anyway, to actually answer your question; the third is the one people tend to complain about the most for one reason- it's the one they understand!. The first two are hard to truly understand without serious effort unless you've been there (I have!.) But just about everyone understands acting out for attention!. They think they're above it themselves, but they usually just do it in a form different from cutting!.

Personally, the attention-seeking was the hardest one for me to understand!.!.!. What ever happened to NOT showing your weakness to other people!?Www@Answer-Health@Com

It is actually a case of cynicism!. The cynic explains all human behavior by three basic motivations: sexual desire, hunger, and vanity!. As self-injury obviously does not satisfy either sexual desire or hunger, it "must" be, according to these people, that in some way it satisfies the self-injurer's vanity!.!.!.

By the way, I'm not a self-harmer myself, but I have devoted a Yahoo Group to the understanding of self-harm: http://health!.groups!.yahoo!.com/group/Inj!.!.!.

P!.S!.: Aqua the Fox mentions "three kinds of cutters", and says: "The second is the old 'one pain can dull another!.' I'm a little less intimately familiar with this one, but still a little!. People cut themselves because the physical pain distracts them from their mental pain!."

If you want to learn about my current understanding of this kind of cutting -- which I consider the most basic kind --, you should check my group, especially the Description and message # 4 and its follow-ups!.

P!.P!.S!.: I'm not a professional researcher; just someone concerned about self-injurers!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

yeah i remember my mate at school, done a realy light cut on her wrist, and showed everyone and was telling everyone how she felt really low!. i used to, but no way for attention like that, at one point, yes i admit, i wanted my dad to see it, it was my way of crying out for help, as i cant express my feelings hardly at all then, but that was one time all the other times, taking overdoses, and cutting myself, i kept to myself, until i was found (I thank God for that now) as i regret it so much now, and am thankful i am still here, and would never go down that road again, as it doesn't do anything but harm!. Its just letting your mind control you, and thats what it wants (in my case- telling me to do it)Www@Answer-Health@Com

thats because a bunch of sad, american teenagers decided it was cool to be "emo"
ever since then, people who are actually depressed, are now just getting roped in with a bunch of people who trace a tiny little scar on their wrist then go "ahh im so depressed!.!.!. i cut myself last night but shhhhh"
so yeah!. now a bunch of people just think EVERYONE does it for these reasons!.
people are just ignorant i guessWww@Answer-Health@Com

I actually had an ex who cut for attention(big problems there)!. It was honestly just that - a cshow for attention!.!. in alot of cases, they dont feel "noticed" enough via other methods (activities, the way they dress, etc!. so they cut, because it WILL get a reaction(typically that of someone wanting to help them)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

because people cant get there heads around it, fellow cutters know it acts as a kind of relief but people on the outside just think its for attention, but stop cutting it is no gud for, punch somthing instead of stamp about on the floor, that really helped meWww@Answer-Health@Com

People who have never been in that situation sometimes do not get it!. It can be a stress reliever or sometimes for attention!.

You can't blame people for not understanding!.!.!.just like some people like to think that you can snap out of depression!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

People have that perception because of Self Harmers who show off their cuts!. I've seen it!.!.!. some cutters bandage themselves up and some don't cover cuts at all!.

But it's probably a desparate cry for help rather than attentionWww@Answer-Health@Com

Those people do not understand what it is like to have a mental illness!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

well some people do!.!.!.
it can go either way but it's not all hiding you knowWww@Answer-Health@Com

What's your reason!?Www@Answer-Health@Com





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories