why do people cut themselves?

Question

my friend is a cutter and i want to understand why she does it

Answer 1

There are a lot of reasons people cut themselves. If it's a close friend you're talking about, maybe you could ask her why she does it.

For some people, cutting is a way to get attention. People tend to look down on people who do this, but really cutting for attention is an act of despiration, and definitely still means there's something wrong. I've read about kids who cut for reasons like their sibling is really sick and they feel like everyone is paying attention to their sibling and ignoring them. Or it might be because they're in a really bad situation at home or at school and don't know how else to ask for help. Or it may just be that they have the kind of personally that likes attention.

Another reason some people cut is because they think it's cool. This isn't the case for most cutters, but some people, especially young teens, start cutting because their friends do it or because they think it will make them seem more grown up.

The last major reason people cut, and the hardest to understand, is to deal with emotional pain or stress that they can't deal with other ways. People who do this will usually try to hide their cuts and keep it secret, so people tend to associate cutting with the first two reasons more than this one, simply because they don't know about this last reason. For some people it basically serves as punishment for something they feel guilty about. For some it makes them feel alive when they feel emotionally numb. For others, it helps them deal with other things. I'm not entirely sure why this last one works, but I think it is basically because the physical pain takes your mind off the emotional pain, and physical pain is easier to deal with. I'm not sure that really explains it, but it's the best I can do right now. If you want to know more about it you're welcome to email me by the Answers contact link and I can try to explain it a bit better.

Answer 2

My best friend used to cut herself. Some people do it for attention, and others do it for pain relief. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but when I experience something similar. I don't cut myself, but when I'm hurt or really stressed out I go get a new piercing or new tattoo. It does help, especially for those of us with a high tolerance pain. When I was 7years old, I stapled my fingers together to see how it felt.
Does this help?

Answer 3

"emo" people do not decrease themselves. Emo is only a range and a music type. it really is not any longer something else. I easily have many emo acquaintances and they don't decrease themselves and that i become emo. Now, once you're wondering about those who extremely decrease themselves, there are a range of reason they're reducing themselves. Rape, abuse, bullied, rigidity, etc. people decrease themselves sense depressed and positioned down on. they don't sense like they should stay and to have a crap existence so as that they decrease themselves hoping they'd die.

Answer 4

It's a way of releasing pain and or anger without hurting someone else. Or sometimes you just get so sad you feel like your emotions are going to spill over and you just can't deal with it. It's like something you've never felt before. It's more intense more overwhelming. So, you cut as way to eliviate those feelings.
Others are just crying for attention. You be the judge.

Answer 5

This is an example of feeling invisible. She doesn't feel as if she is heard, seen or valued. She may or may not change. She does need someone to help her through this(i.e. therapy). Do you know Angelina Jolie is/was also a cutter?

Answer 6

i cut myself for six years. it's a hard thing to explain. the reasons behind the concept of purposely hurting yourself are different for everyone. i did it because there were things going on in my life that i didn't know how to fix or control or alter, but this was within my control. i could cut myself if i wanted or i could just sit by and watch everything speed past me. also, cutting didn't hurt. it seems like it would, but it didn't. still doesn't.

after cutting for around five of those years, i began burning. burning was worse. burning actually hurt in the beginning and still does.

anyway, you will probably never completely understand why your friend cuts herself, but you CAN acknowledge that it probably helps her in ways that nothing else does.

Answer 7

Some people feel it is the only way to get rid of their pain. It doesn't necessarily have to do with drugs/alcohol. It can be due to depression and loneliness. Try talking to your friend, and encourage her to seek help. Support her during this time. She needs all the love and understanding she can get.

Answer 8

These people need a doctor or a therapist help, they have emotional disorders and to feel in control they cut themselves or sometimes pull out their hair.

Answer 9

ok so most people will tell you that people cut themselves for attention and some people do do it for that reason. people cut themselves for many reasons. because they like it or because they feel so numb to the world that they need the pain to make them feel alive. cutting yourself is a sickness and your freind needs help because it could lead so her killing herself. (i in no way recomend cutting or killing yourself its the wrong way do handle things i know because i used to cut myself) also try to be understanding with her because shes in a hard place right now

Answer 10

It is called bloodletting.. mental disorder impaled in their brains such as that of anorexia, bulimia etc.. to make them feel they deserve it for some odd reason mental probs they need help from the way they were raised to feel bad..