so is cutting "modern?"

That is a good question Joey.

It's exactly the same for me. I have been surprised at how prevalent it is, from the number of posts here (the "Do You Cut" thread has 17 replies in less than 24 hours for example).

I suspect the latter, but I really don't know. The "Emo" culture seems to have made it a bit less taboo I think, but I really don't know.

I'll highlight this thread to JayHew, who may be able to add some insights and thoughts.

 

Maybe it's more prevalent in the LGBT community since people who cut often do it because they feel ostracized and a lot of emotional pain with the issues that come up, unfortunately. I wish everyone who cut could etch out their pain in wood or linoleum rather than unto themselves.

 

I think that it probably has gotten more prevalent, but Im not sure why....however i also think that the issue is a lot less taboo these days, so you may hear about it more nowadays.

One reason i think it might be more common these days is because of subcultures like myspace, where some people have sites full with images of blood soaked people, suicide etc. Because of this, the idea could be glamorisd in a sense, where one person sees the people from their school with those images, and may think that its allright to do that and think that way....But just remember that Im coming from an angle of not being really into the myspace subculture and not suffering from depression, so what i say may not be completely valid.

 

I'm not very familiar with cutting. I knew of one guy in highschool that used to do it through severe depression, but I've mostly been introduced to it through this forum.

There wasn't any support for this guy at my school & the teachers didn't appear to do much to help him. They put it down to a simple case of 'attention seeking'. I'm not sure if this is why he did it (because it received attention from other students) or whether he did have underlying reasons for the self-harm. But as I said, teachers didn't make much of an effort to remove scissors or sharp implements away from him, & whenever he cut, they just sent him to the 'time-out' room. At the time, I don't think there was much information on the subject because it wasn't a common thing. Now with the growing awareness of emo-culture, people are more familiar with the topic, because cutting is largely associated with them (which is false because people who aren't emo cut as well).

I think that people cut or self-harm for different reasons. The main reasons are probably due to depression, mental illness & feelings of isolation. But I think it's good in a way, that this forum can better educate those of us who aren't familiar with the topic & disprove the myths surrounding it.

 

i think cutting has gotten worse in the last 10 years, though for different reasons. one is that it has become less taboo, two, we have more people, and three, we have more bullshit to put up with. an interesting thing though is that i think girls might have done it more in the sixties and such. my mom found out that i cut and verbatim told me "guys don't do that, girls do". i wonder if she ever had or knew people that had (my moms sixty btw). i think there may be more cliques and more rejection because of so many groups and norms of these groups. plus, alot more divorce and social problems today then in the past. imo.

 

i think its the same. people just talk more. out of my group of 5 girls all but one (that i know of) have cut. my bestie stopped and the other two still cut.

going to the mental hospital just reiterated this belief that its less taboo. pretty most 100% of the girls there cut or seriously thought about it. my mom used to cut many many years ago. she said when she was growing up no one ever talked about it. yet she still did it. so i'm sure many other people still did. i'm sure its not new. i do agree that the whole 'emo' culture did this. what i can't stand is people trying to be emo so bad they cut just to fit it. cutting is used like a drug but you ndon't try to talk other people into it. from my experience most cutter tell others not to do it. just like people with eating disorders. i would never wish it on my worst of enemies.

 

I was a peer counselor in high school. cutting seemed to be like, the biggest problem we were faced with. and we had more cases involving girls cutting themselves than guys. as for a modern problem...i think it's just more documented now than it was before. kinda like anorexia and bulimia. it existed far longer than it was diagnosed

 

Cutting has been around for a long time. Only recently has it become more, I hate to say this, accepted.


Those who cut are using that to get attention and to get someone to talk to. (Well not all but most who are known as "cutters.")

I hate how it has become the cool thing to do. With the rise in the emo trend came the big rise in cutters. Not really cutters so much as those looking for attention.

 

My experience tells me that cutting is something restricted to first-world countries, as it's very, very uncommon in Uruguay.

When I tried to harm myself, I didn't waste my time cutting myself. I just tried to kill myself. That was in 2005 and I don't plan on doing it again.

 

I think that it has always been a major problem but I think its just being talked about more. When you have the internet you find yourself admitting things you never would admit in person to somebody. I think cutting is a huge problem in the glbtq community because of the pain we go through trying to accept ourselves and coming out to the ones we love. I used to cut and I know from my experience that the reason I started cutting was because I was struggling with accepting myself and trying to figure out how I was going to tell my family and friends.

 

I agree with this. I used to cut for pretty much that same reason. Whenever I didn't want to think about it I would cut to take my mind off of it. Thankfully I gave it up and learned other ways to deal but that was the rationale I used.

 

ohhh i'm to tired to read everybody's posts so sorry if i say anything repeated.

I think the whole "emo" culture has made cutting wrists mainstream. I know that self-harm/self-mutilation is nothing new, but since this form of hurting yourself is becoming more mainstream it is more popular.
But ya i think self harm has always been around, but now its turning into a trend.

 

I think we need to distinguish between the "emo" culture that are doing it for attention and effect, and those like Morgan and Dan here for whom it is much deeper than that.

 

I have a friend who cuts pretty seriously and has been doing it on and off for quite some time. I just don't understand it...

 

This whole popular,trend,cool talk about cutting has really gotten me upset.In my opinion,I think there's to much discussion on how and way its being done.As a person who found cutting through another person and used it to relieve some serious mental anguish,I don't think it really helps anybody who does it as I did,and really those words cool,trend etc,etc drives people nuts and pisses them off.

 

i don't think they're doing it for attention brah. like biloved said, cutting takes their minds off of whatever it is making them depressed. and like, on a biological level, it releases the feel good hormone. so it's a kind of high as well

 

Self-Injurious Behavior is an increasing thing seen medically and by psychologist in the last ten years or so. It is not entirely new, but has not been seen before with such numbers. Many factors seem to go into it as to reasons. I was developing a sticky concerning it so perhaps now that the questions have been raised it would be good to post it here:

Self-Injury Behavior

With recent threads concerning cutting and perhaps other forms of self-injury and with increasing numbers of individuals, especially teens, being treated for the phenomenon, it is felt some explanation and discussion is warranted.

It is estimated that 4% of the general population and about 14% of college students engage in self-injury behavior. In spite of these numbers, this remains a taboo subject and stigmatized by counseling professionals as well as not being well understood.

Basically Self-injury Behavior is described as the deliberate alteration or destruction of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent; although 55-85% of self-injurers attempt at least one episode of suicide.

Although cutting is the most popular form of self-injury behavior, burning, self-hurting, interference with wound healing, hair pulling, and bone breaking are also types of self-injurious behavior. It appears that those who injure themselves are seeking to escape from intense feelings or to obtain some level of focus. After the act most feel better for a short time.

There are two classifications of individuals who have self-injury behavior. The technical terms are:

1. Dissociative - The individual performs the means of self-injury but is not aware they have done so until there is pain or blood is sensed or seen.
2. Nondissociative – The individual is aware of what they are doing in the process of self-injury and this group makes up the majority of people with self-injury behavior.

Some forms of self-injury are acceptable to our societies and cultures around the world. These primarily are associated with ear piercing, personal tattoos and eyebrow plucking to name a few. It is pointed out that excessive piercing and tattoos, etc. may be an expression of self-injury that satisfies something similar to others who cut themselves and do other injuries.

There are a number of reason a person self-injures and they are complex, but a few hallmarks have been identified, but the reasons may not be the same for each time an episode happens. It appears to affect males most.

So what are some of the characteristics of this disorder?

• Release anger, pain, or anxiety. The self-injury helps relieve the tensions.
• Gain a sense of control – helps them focus when they feel out of control.
• Physical pain to distract from emotional pain – better to feel something than nothing at all.
• Inflict pain on someone who is not available – transference or taking on the anger towards the other person when absent.
• Ground oneself – brings the individual back to reality.
• Communicates a need for support – gives an individual who has difficulty expressing their emotions a means of asking for help.
• Prevent suicide – used as a means of coping with thoughts of suicide.

What causes people to Self-injure?

It is felt there are a number of conditions that lead to the appearance of this disorder. Low self-esteem, feelings of neglect, being marginalized, not paid attention to, feelings of abandonment, physical as well as emotional abuse (conditions that can lead to PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) dysfunctional family situations, alcoholic parent(s) are some of the better known situations that present multiple problems.

Self-injury is often carried out when individuals attempt to deal with difficult or overwhelming emotions and are not sure how to more effectively manage their emotions.

What can one do?

The following information comes from The University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Counseling Services and says it best:

What Can be Done if You Are Considering Injuring Yourself?

First, people generally do not wish to hurt themselves, but see no better way of managing their emotions. The suggestions below are for people who have made the decision to quit self-injuring, and are looking for alternative strategies to deal with their emotions. Author Deb Martinson suggests looking at the emotions behind the urge to help determine which strategies you might try. (Anger, frustration, restlessness, sadness, melancholic, craving sensation, wanting to see blood, wanting to focus):

Techniques to Try:

• Distract yourself. Get away from the situation you are in, and do something else.
• Talk with someone who is supportive, such as a family member, friend, RA, hall director, or counselor.
• Engage in another activity that requires stimulation. Give yourself a massage, take a hot or cold shower, squeeze ice, finger paint, or squish Play-doh.
• Exercise is a way of quickly managing emotions. Go for a brisk walk or run, punch a pillow, swim, lift weights, or engage in other aerobic activities that require physical exertion.
• Pamper yourself by doing something soothing. Read, listen to music, take a relaxing bath, look at the moon or clouds, open a window to get some fresh air.
• Make a list of activities to engage in that have been helpful in the past when you had the urge to self-injure. Keep this list handy to refer to if you do have the urge to self-injure.

Log the Following Information If You Have the Urge to Self-Injure:

• Rate the intensity of your urge to hurt yourself on a scale from 1-10.
• Identify which emotions you are feeling.
• Rate the intensity of each emotion on a scale from 1-10.
• Identify the situation you were in prior to your urge to hurt yourself.
• Identify the unhelpful/impulsive thoughts present when you had the urge to hurt yourself.
• Identify more helpful/more realistic thoughts to dispute the unhelpful ones.

Rate the intensity of your emotions a scale from 1-10 after completing this log.

You may notice that working through this activity helps you more closely identify what you are feeling and thinking, and how a situation that occurred before the desire to self injure may be connected to the urge. Some people find that the urge to self injure greatly decreases after going through this step by step process.

It may also be helpful to think about the first time self-injury occurred, the situations and emotional factors at that time, and how they were dealt with.

How Can I Break Free From Self-Injury?

Recognizing that there is hope beyond self-injury is the first step, and Counseling Services can be great support. People often fear that self-injury will be seen as shameful or secretive. It does not have to be. A counselor can be the empathic encourager coaching individuals to help meet their goals. A counselor can work with individuals to help increase coping mechanisms, and to provide support as people look more deeply at their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. By looking at factors associated with self-injury, and underlying concerns, many can begin to break free from self-injury. Additionally, seeking assistance from Health Services or a health care professional may be beneficial, as there is research that suggests that medication in addition to therapy may help those who self-injure.

For Concerned Others:

It can be difficult to know that ones you care about deliberately injures themselves. It can be difficult to not want to rush in and “save” them from their pain. People engaging in self-injurious behaviors need to be the ones making the decision to change their behaviors. You can share your concern, and urge them to ask for help. You can also let them know that you are available to call if they have the urge to self-injure, feel emotionally overwhelmed, or want to be with someone. Unconditionally showing them that they do not need to self-injure to get love and attention from you can be helpful. Asking if you can take them out to a movie, or to get a snack is a way to provide a distraction, and gives them the chance to accept your offer.

If you are living in the residence halls, asking an RA or hall director to become a part of a support team can be an important step in empowering the person self-injuring, especially if the self-injury is distressing others, or endangering the safety of the one you care about.

Additional Resources:

Website by Deb Martinson: This website offers a comprehensive look at self-injury, strategies for coping with the urge to self injure, and how to support someone who engages in self-injury. This website offers first-aid tips, but is not a substitute for professional medical care.

Website with information from Lisa Ferentz, LICSW: This website offers an article reflecting the current research relating to self-injurious behavior.

Book by Tracy Alderman, Ph.D.: The Scarred Soul: Understanding and Ending Self-Inflicted Violence. This self-help book provides information and exercises to work through self-injury, and to increase coping mechanisms.

Book by Conterio, Lader, & Kingson Bloom Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Treatment Program for Self-Injurers. ISBN 0-7868-8504-1. Available at the UWEC Library.

Book by Marilee Strong: A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain, ISBN 0-14-028053-7. Available at the Eau Claire Public Library

I hope the above information is a help to all in understanding this disorder and a means of hope for those who engage in it. I am available for comments or questions through PM, just please understand that I am not able to do full on counseling.

 

Morgan has also just posted some good material she found online in this thread:
http://www.emptyclosets.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3726