Why do people self harm?
 

Cry for help?
Attention seeking?
Get a rush from it?


What do you think?

Its actually quite odd. I used to do it but never knew a solid reason why. Just did it one day when I felt down then kept doing it. I liked the feeling of the pain and the sight of the blood...kinda became a way of dealing with stress :/

if something is digging them up inside then its a way to forget about it and just think about the pain
thats what i think ..anyway
and the attention seeking ones should just be shot

i did it because i thought i was bad inside, and when i cut and the blood came out the badness came with it

that was when i was mental though im normal now

Knew someone who did it. The only explanation she could give me was it was a 'release'. I can only imagine it gives them something else to focus on? Something else that is pain and not the pain in their head?

My therapist asked me this on Friday.

It helps release stress and frustration, I wouldn't say attention - only those dicks that do it to seem 'Emo' even though cutting your wrist, is not Emo - or those ones that do it and walk outside into a party and fall to the ground like they've been stabbed.

Attention seeking bastards.

I went from June 2009 up to August last year without anyone really noticing I self harmed, so no I wouldn't say it's for attention.

Some people most definitely do it for attention though.

It just releases stress and frustration IMO.

1. Attempt to kill theirself
2. The pain helps overcome other 'pain'
3. Thrill of blood/Excites them (opposite of sadist forgot the term)
4. Attention

Not had much experience with it, but the only girl I know did it for attention.

It was at school and she told her mate she wanted to die and went to an empty classroom to strangle herself with her tie. She told her mate that if she passed out to keep strangling her until she was dead. Her mate actually did, but somebody found her before she died and phoned an ambulance, then the police came and took the friend away. The girl didn't die but got bullied massively afterwards and I don't know what happened to her friend.

I think the girl who wanted to kill herself did it for attention and didn't actually expect her friend to keep strangling her.

:laugh2:

:laugh3: :laugh3: :laugh3:

People do it because it blocks out emotional pain for a couple of seconds which can be relief if you are severely depressed but I believe most do it for attention.

Maybe they hate themselves and think its what they deserve or they could just like to feel pain, never having done it, its hard to think why they would, but I think there may be some self loathing involved

Masochists? They enjoy inflicting pain upon themselves.


I've never quite managed to get my head around self harm: I understand the psychological reasonings why - but I've never been able to quite separate the thought that if a person would, can and does that to themselves: what would they be capable of doing to another person if they really 'snapped' -which is as irrational as self harming in the first place.

Can't be a good place to be in though for the person involved (or those around them that love them and have to see their mental suffering manifesing itself so physically).

Yes its one I can't understand the psychological reasoning to, as opposed to other body punishing conditions like say anorexia, where I do understand why they do it. Maybe its because I can't stand the sight of blood so the thought of say cutting yourself is just beyond my comprehension

I agree with this, often they themselves don't have an answer too as to why, I think it is likely a combination of what InOne listed in his original post.

I had thought people did it for attention but have learned that was an easy and general blinkered view, the answer Kerry got from the person she knew,as to it being a release is likely the strongest one,it's also likely another of those control issues whereby they decide where, when and how they do it too.

It's to block out the mental pain for a while.

Not that I'd know this first hand. (Or should I say first wrist?)

First hip in my case :/

I did it places people couldnt see. Didnt want people to know about it because I knew they would find it weird or fuss about it.

So that knocks the 'attention' theory out which is interesting, I don't understand it but think its very sad that people would hurt themselves

I dont understand it myself to be honest. But people are too quick to cry attention seeker usually. I know a few people who did it, and 9 times out of 10, it was in places people wouldnt see...stomachs/legs etc because they didnt want people knowing they did it.

The urge never really goes though. Whenever Im pissed off about something or upset, I always feel the need to do it. I have learnt not to now though, but hell, it took a long time :/

I can understand that, I guess a lot of people have 'crutches' or strangely enough security blankets they rely on whenever things in life get start to get too tough. It could be eating habits, alcohol, drugs, gambling, whatever takes them away from reality, so I understand that the urge to self harm would stay with you, but I guess as you get older and move away from it, you can control the urge much easier.

What is it with you lot - are you unable to understand what the term SERIOUS DEBATES means.

There is one small sub-section of the forum dedicated to serious issues - and some that some posters are offering personal experiences with - but still you can't leave out the jokes and the wit - putting up this sort of crap. Aren't you content with the hundreds of other inane, banal threads to offer your 'wisdom' on.

It's rude beyond belief, it's completely disrespectful to every member who is treating the tread with the respect the topic deserved, and it the height of ignorance.


I am beginning to wonder why Tibbs HAS a Serious Debates Sub-Section at all -when this thing is continually allowed to happen.

Trying to hold any sensible conversation on here is becoming nigh impossible.

Indeed. Most are ashamed to be found doing it - hence the places that is is likely to be go un-noticed, and part of the problem that the 'issue' goes on for so long before any medical/psychological intervention takes place: by which time - the road to recover is a far longer journey to travel.

As I say, I can't quite get my head around it - but one thing is for sure: it's distressing for both the self harmer and those around them when they become aware of what is happening.

The only girl I know that did it, did it for attention. In the girls changing rooms she got a razor out and was like "I HATE SCHOOL!!1" then she cut her wrist. Everyone was there so it was a bit like :/

Depends on what you mean by razor...

If someone pulls out a razor - as in blade - they mean business.

If someone pulls out a safety disposable 'razor' - they have issues of some sort - attention seeking possibly / cry for help / something else going on.

Most people don't do these things for a laugh - no matter how you look at it.