why do people self harm?!

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normally they would do so to give them relief from most often unbearable emotional pain they are experiencing at that time. It may seem strange to people who have ever been in that situation before. And yes it does hurt, in that way is how it helps because they are after hurting themselves able to focus on the physical pain versus the emotional pain. Even if it may be a temporary fix, it is their, our, way of coping with things and giving them an outlet to continue living.

personal experience in this department, and lots of reading

It's different for everyone. Some people do it for attention, but that's rarely the case.
Speaking from experience, I know that I do it because it makes my negative thoughts go away, even if only for a few seconds. Personally, I cut because:
- If I'm feeling anxious, it can calm me down and sometimes prevent panic attacks.
- When I'm feeling depressed and suicidal, it takes those thoughts away for a few seconds.
- It's my addiction, my obsession. The thought of being able to cut gives me a reason to wake up in the morning.
- It's just how I deal with stress or any negative thoughts.
- It's my coping mechanism, so any bad thing that happens I instantly turn to cutting.
- I get obsessive thoughts which I can't control, and cutting is a way of punishing myself for having those thoughts.
- I feel alone and numb, even when I'm laughing with my friends. Cutting, again, helps me deal with that.
..I know it sounded like I'm advertising it as a good thing, but I'm really not at all. I'm trying to stop, but it's an addiction. If you want to know anything else, just message me.

Many people find it a good way to relief themselves from psychological pain or trauma.
Its a very bad thing though and should be dealt with accordingly. You should go and see your doctor as its taken as a pretty serious matter.

I think the reason why people self harm is because they want to show their hurt emotionally and mentally but because people cant see that it makes them feel better to see a physical scar.
Its also supposed to be to do with self-hatred as well, when you hate yourself you will do self destructive things like self harming.

Cutting yourself obviously does hurt. You are completely right about that. It also releases endorphins, which can be extremely pleasurable for some people, and even addictive. Many people say they do it because they feel numb, and this is the only way they can feel anything and to prove they aren't dead. Some people do it because they feel that the blood that is released from their bodies contains their worries and problems, and to them it feels cleansing. Everyone has their own reasons, but they typically fall along these lines.

sometimes people feel so bad about themselves they they feel they deserve to hurt i use to find the anger against myself use to build up until i was ready to explode and that was a really horrible feeling just didn't know any other way of getting rid of the feeling and self harming helped in a odd way.i also found if i bled that blood represented some of the bad feelings coming out yes you do think ouch (later on not at the time) but that pain reminds you of that release you had it is an illness and a way of dealing with lifes problems not a good way but sometimes people do not have someone there to talk through it or find it too hard to explain their reasons ,sorry it is quite difficult to put into words tha tmae sense a bit like having a massive anger problem only against yourself not anyone else well thats some of how i use to feel not the same for everyone hope this gives you a little bit more insight.

it releases chemicals in your body that distract from the chemical imbalance that is occuring in the body of the person suffering from the depression/what have you. its because where your brain has a specific balance of chemicals that control your emotions, how you feel, etc. the 'happy chemical' if you will take my meaning, is lacking in our brains. when this person hurts themselves, the body releases endorphins which help to try and block the pain. thus, since the endorphins are released after pain occurs, it feels gopod to inflict pain on yourself because it takes away the depression or whatever ur suffering from, however short of time it is relieving.

p.e.

it releases endorphins, so yes. Harming yourself actually does make the anxiety go away, at least for a short period of time. This is exactly what a friend of mine who cuts told me, word for word:

"As someone who has self-injured, I define blood as a release. The pressure and bad feelings would build and build, and by cutting, I could release the pressure. Seeing the blood run down my arm or leg was like seeing the bad feelings rush out of me, and like feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. For me, blood was a representation of the internal pain I was feeling, and when I released it, some of the internal pain dissipated."


I was writing a definition essay about blood and she was kind enough to share this with me, so that's why it revolves mostly around the blood aspect

There are many reasons why people self harm, for me it was through anxiety that i began to self harm, if i was in a stressful situation where i felt anxious, i'd cut myself, to distract my mind from the anxiety by focusing on the pain,

I'd like to point out i no longer self harm, im a woman of 34, i don't do that **** at my age

Ive cut myself and no it doesn't hurt me at all. When I cut sometimes it is to get me out of a flashback that I have of abuse and I basically just leave mentally. It does not hurt me in the slightest just after I've finished and I pull my sock/ sleeve up it hurts

It has nothing to do with releasing endorphins. People hurt themselves because they are mad at themselves. Just like if you're mad at somebody you want to hurt them, they do to themselves.

They can't control it,they do feel it but they go into a state of mind were they just don't care how much it hurts.
It's like a short term relief if that makes sense?

it releases endorphins when they harm themselves and endorphins make you feel better relieves stress as well - not good way of dealing with things but people who self harm this is all they know to do to make themselves feel better at the moment

some do it because its away to direct emotional pain into the act of harming the pain numbs it , others are just attention seeking

I know it's a bit ironic, but some do it to forget the pain.

i think it releases endorphins when they cut and that makes them feel better