8 Reasons People Self-Injure ...

By Denise

People have different ways of coping with strong feelings and emotional pain. Some use diversion tactics, relaxation techniques, medications, drugs, alcohol, or physical activity. Other people deal with emotional pain by inflicting harm and pain on themselves. The act of harming one’s own body is called self-injury. The reasons for self-injury are varied. I have listed eight common reasons that lead people to resort to self-injurious practices.

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1

Feel Something

Feel Something Photo Credit: just_makayla

People injure themselves to escape from feelings of numbness. They want to feel something, anything, so they inflict physical pain on themselves. The pain reminds them that they are still alive despite the absence of emotion and any sort of sensation.

2

Ease Tension

Ease Tension Photo Credit: Brittany Juravich

Some people ease their tension and stress through exercise, food, or sleep. But some people choose to injure themselves to ease the tension, anxiety and stress that they feel inside. The feeling of physical pain and sometimes the sight of blood can be cathartic to these people.

3

Relieve Anger

Relieve Anger Photo Credit: hello hayley

Instead of taking out their anger on other people, people who self-injure turn their anger on themselves. Self-injury becomes a way of venting anger, self-loathing, and even guilt. The negative emotions that make their hearts and souls weary are released with the infliction of pain.

4

Express Emotional Pain

Express Emotional Pain Photo Credit: Amanda Music

For some people, self-injury becomes a way of expressing their emotional pain. Even if they don’t choose to let other people see, they, themselves can still see the wounds. The wounds and scars serve as a reminder of their inner pain. Self-injury for them is like writing for other people.

5

Create a Diversion

Create a Diversion Photo Credit: ansy

Many people use self-injurious rituals to cope with the overwhelming emotional pain. They can easily wrap their heads around something as concrete and visible as physical pain. This is better than trying to deal with the abstract and sometimes unidentifiable negative emotions they feel.

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6

For Punishment

For Punishment Photo Credit: torijennifer

Self-injurers use physical pain to punish themselves. They feel like deserve punishment for feeling certain emotions, for doing some things, for acting a certain ways, and for wanting stuff. They can even punish themselves for just being themselves.

7

Establish Control over Their Bodies

Establish Control over Their Bodies Photo Credit: octaypus

Many self-injurers feel like they have no control over their emotions and their lives. So they turn to their rituals to establish control even just over their physical bodies. This mentality is similar to those of people with eating disorders.

8

Sense of Euphoria

Sense of Euphoria Photo Credit: Thais Kozievitch

Believe it or not, but self-injury can actually cause some people to feel euphoric. There is a sense of short-lived relief and happiness that can be likened to the high that drug users get. Many people get hooked on this feeling and it can be hard for them to stop hurting themselves.

Self-injury is more than just a mere act of drawing blood and eliciting physical pain. It is not something that “emo kids” do as part of their culture. Self-injury is an actual coping mechanism, albeit dangerous, that people use to deal with depression, self-loathing, anger, shame, guilt, and other painful emotions. The act of harming themselves is a cry for help and not a conscious suicide attempt. People who self-injure are not pathetic or psychotic; they are not attention-whores. We need to spread the right information about the causes for self-injury so we can help those who suffer from overwhelming pain.

Top Photo Credit: whitepuffycloud

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

In middle school I had a problem with self injury.. and then in high school I started up again after a breakup. I honestly don't really know why I did to be honest. There was just so much going on around me, it was finally a pain I could be the one to control. I knew it hurt, it hurt like CRAP, but I could control how much and when I could stop. I also just had so much anger I couldn't find a way to release, so it felt good to get out.

Ptify, don't assume that someone who says they cut actually self-harms. You'd never imagine who cuts, because the last thing these people want is attention. They need understanding and help.

I do self harm 3 years now

i know my friend self harmed because she was depressed. the thing is when people self harm it also harms the people around them. it hurt my friends boyfriend and me and couple of other people close to her. i know she finaly got help but the marks are still there.

i was a self harmer in 2011, I was clean until last Sunday. I love someone, more than anything in this world. I love him for his personality. he has a sense of humour that I love so much, he is so intelligent, and just perplexing. I loved him in 2011, but I met someone else in 2012. however, I came back to him, and I am more in love than ever, and I was starting to think he felt the same way, as we are close friends, but he was acting extra intimate. anyway, tuesday the week before last, I found out that he loves someone else. I was absolutely devastated. broken. I felt insecure. on Sunday, I cut again and I regret it so much. I told him because we tell each other everything, but he doesn't know that him being in love with someone else led up to it, on top of stress, general insecurity, anger, and loneliness. grieving pushed me over the edge. what should I do? thankyou if you actually bothered to read this.

also some for attention...as sad as it is

There was a girl at my school who cut herself on her arms and legs. She started showing out whole class the pictures and then the nest day she was complaining about everyone knowing about her self-harm. It got really annoying because she kept doing it and she always cuts herself in obvious places. She obviously does it for attention. I think that should be one of the biggest reasons on here. For Attention

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