I cut myself but I don't think I'm a self harmer? Is this possible?!


Question: I cut myself but I don't think I'm a self harmer? Is this possible?
I am a 15 year old girl.

About a year ago I started cutting my forearms, stomach and legs with a swiss army knife, needles and sharp tweezers which left deep red marks but never bled properly.

I stopped about 6 months later.

However for no reason in the last few days I've started cutting my left forearm with a knife again but this time 3 of the cuts bled properly.

Life is sort of tough at the moment (dad has cancer, mum has MS and school pressure) but I don't think that's a reason to cut, however I don't consider it self harm. It's just cutting.

Please give me some advice, I don't know whether this is a problem or not and what I can do about it.

Thanks.

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

If you cut yourself with the intent to cause damage than it is self harm.

Judging by what you've put down it's not a problem yet but has the potential to become one. From what I understand you're cutting as a form of escapism from stress - it will become a problem if you cut to any stressful situation since then it will be a coping mechanism which you need to function.

Ideally you could try talking to someone you trust but since that's very unlikely then try and find some other method of coping such as writing down what you feel for example.

3 years sh free



Cutting yourself on purpose would fall under self harm. Course there is a difference between cutting your self and wanting to kill yourself. It can get worse though, some people tend to want to cause worse injuries to themselves and cutting turns into something worse. You can get some therapy to help with it. It would also help if you try finding the reason for you wanting to cut yourself and then trying to fix whatever it is that makes you want to.



It is self harm.It is ok!!. You like many people do this as a coping strategy to deal with things.You mention that mum and dad are dealing with their own things and this even though you may not think so, are affected by this, and that is normal. The cutting is your way to deal with the pressure.I would suggest that you talk to a counsellor, if that is possible, to talk through what is going on for you. A counsellor would give you help and suggest different ways to deal with your pressure.



Cutting your body is harming yourself. I can say "I drill holes into my head, but I don't consider it harming myself" and obviously I'd be wrong.
Yes. Cutting yourself is a problem. There are many reasons people cut themselves (not talking about suicide attempts), ranging from lack of feelings, to severe attention seeking behavior, to obsessive compulsive impulses... either way, go tell a professional.



Yes, just because you don't adhere to a Label does not mean you don't meet the criteria for it.

You need to speak with someone, Like you already know.

Take care, do whats best for you!



Yes it is a problem. Yes, cutting is self harm.

You are an addict. You are addicted to endorphins which are released by your body when you cut. You are getting high. And, like every addict, you are in denial, claiming that cutting isn't really self harm, and you don't really have a problem, and you stopped (except that you didn't).

The emotional maturity of an addict stops at the age when they start using. You started cutting at age 14. That means that you will stay at the emotional age of fourteen until you end your addiction. Have you ever seen a thirty year old with the emotional maturity of a fourteen year old? It is a sad, lonely, bitter scene. You do not want to live it.

If you are struggling with anxiety and depression, go see your family doctor, and address your problem in a manner that is doctor supervised and medically approved for the purpose.

You will, quite literally, carry the scars of your addiction for the rest of your life. But, more importantly, unless you decide to get help for you addiction, you will carry your ADDICTION for the rest of your life.

The reason you started cutting again is that you were under stress, and that's the only way that you know to deal with stress -- turning to your addiction. As long as you have this attitude, that the way to deal with stress is to escape from it by getting high, you will remain a confused, drug addicted, fourteen year old.

If you want to grow up, and lead a happy and successful life, you need to learn how to address your problems, not try to escape from them into a drug haze. And, the first problem you need to address is your addiction to endorphins. The first step to dealing with an addiction is to admit that you have a problem, and for you, that means calling it what it is.

SELF HARM.

Best Wishes and Good Luck. I'm sorry you are going through a hard time. I won't bore you with my own sad story, but suffice it to say that you've got nothing on me. I had to live through it all when I was fifteen, and I got through it all without cutting.

You can, too.

See your doctor. Get help.

























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