Why do kids cut their wrists when they're depressed?

Question

It blows my mind, but I'd like to hear the reasoning from people who have had experience with this situation.

(Edit) not just their wrists - meant to say "Cut themselves"

Answer 1

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Firstly, it is not normally to die; it is a wake-up call for their parents. Since the parents can't seem to hear them, the kids take an alternate route to get the parent's attention. Yes, they need help; it is an agonizing situation, but the kids have spoken in the only way they know how. The ball is in the parent's court.

Answer 2

Hi.

They do it for a sense of control. They are showing that they can do what ever they want with their bodies... including hurting themselves or playing with death... and their is nothing you can do to stop them

However, you average kid who does this is not trying to kill themselves. Like I said, it is a control thing and a way of coping with situations that are beyond their control... and dealing with the pain of it. I also have to agree with the other posts... some kids do it, using the physical pain to replace the emotional pain and sometimes they do it for the attention it brings.

Most of a time, it is just a phase and no real harm is done. But if the kid gets addicted to mutilation, then they need to go see a medical professional. It can get out of hand.

When a kid really wants to commit suicide, the cut will be deep and up the arm (I am not a professional, so there is a great possibility that this statement is wrong). When it is a way of coping, the slashes will be many, but they will be thin and shallow and usually across the arm or angled.

This is just my take on it. I use to do it all the time when I was fourteen. By fifteen, I stopped.

Best Wishes... T.

Answer 3

Its actually a valid coping mechanism. Not the best or healthiest, by any means, but it does do its job - that is, it helps people to calm down and cope.

When someone cuts, their brain releases endorphines, which are the same chemicals that are released for 'runner's high'. This causes pleasure and a calming feeling - hence the relief.

Despite the chemical reasons, people often do it for many emotional reasons. Many people describe feeling numb when they are very depressed, and cutting themselves is one way to break the numbness. People also sometimes do it as a way to control something - when everything else in their life is out of their control, they can always control their body, especially if they are hurting it themselves [lots of people also get into eating disorders for the same reason]. There are many other emotional reasons, but just a couple other examples are for the 'mothering' aspect [when a person hurts him or herself, they can then take care of themself and comfort themself] or the punishment aspect [what better way to 'punish' yourself then to physically hurt yourself?]. There are also, of course, the people who do it for attention, but these are not most self-mutilators.

I think that almost everyone who does it has a different reason.

Personally, when I did it, it worked for me not only because of the chemical reasons, but also because hurting myself [and seeing the cuts on my body] shocked me back into myself, so to speak, and whereas I would usually be freaking out before I hurt myself, I was always extremely calm for hours after doing it.

Answer 4

* self-mutilation is an outlet for strong negative emotions, especially anger or shame, that the person is afraid to express in words or discuss with others.

* self-mutilation represents anger at someone else directed against the self.

* self-mutilation relieves unbearable tension or anxiety Many self-mutilators do report feeling relief after an episode of self-cutting or other injury.

* self-mutilation is a technique for triggering the body's biochemical responses to pain. Stress and trauma release endorphins, which are the body's natural pain-killing substances

* self-mutilation is a way of stopping a dissociative episode. Dissociation is a process in which the mind splits off, or dissociates, certain memories and thoughts that are too painful to keep in conscious awareness. Some people report that they feel "numb" or "dead" when they dissociate, and self-injury allows them to feel "alive."

* self-mutilation is a symbolic acting-out of the larger culture's mistreatment of women. This theory is sometimes offered to explain why the great majority (about 75%) of self-mutilators are girls and women

PS. this is also kinda crazy but when you cut yourself your body releases endorphins. They sorta get a natural high, so to speak. I don't remember who but a doctor gave a cutter some drug that blocked the endorphins and the girl stopped cutting because it didn't make her feel "alive" anymore.

Answer 5

The pain of cutting themselves causes a release from whatever is causing them an emotional pain. Some people feel it is easier to deal with visible physical pain than deep down negative turmoil. It is very important to seek counselling as the consequences can be lethal.

Answer 6

I have studied psychology and cutting ourselves is one of the symptoms of a serious disorder. So these people when they cut themselves, they do it because they feel more relieved. That's because when our blood runs all the pressure or depression that we are feeling starts to minimize and we feel more relaxed. It's like we take a pill when we have a headache! It's really serious and these people need help from a psychologist.

Answer 7

There's a song with the lyric, "Cause you bleed just to know you're alive." That's part of it. I've heard from a few who cut their wrists who said that they didn't actually think they were doing it or it seemed as if someone else was doing it to them and they were watching from overhead or that they were just dreaming about it. And these are not kids who were on drugs.

Answer 8

They cut themselves because they feel pain inside, and want to feel something else to bring their mind away from their own pain. As they say "It relieves them of the pain until something else comes up", then they cut themselves again.

Otherwise, if they cut themselves because they think it's "Cool" and/or a "Goth" way. If that's the reason, it's "Normally" classified as "Emo".

Answer 9

because the pain they are experiencing seems neverending and they feel death would be a sweet release. thankfully we grow up and realize there is more to life than teenagehood. Those that didn't actually do it that is.....And cutting is a way to bring the pain that's inside, out. It is like taking a drug or something. Once the pain comes out, you feel better inside. Teenagers do it because they are not yet able to handle the emotions/stresses they feel. Hopefully it stops, maybe it doesn't and then that person should be seeing a psychiatrist or something...

Answer 10

Drifting off to a never-ending sleep as the warmth of the bath water aids the blood to slowly drain your body is relatively a peaceful and uninvasive way of ending one's life for those who feels their own life is too painful or pointless to continue. It's all in one's head as to what "painful or a pointless life" really is, but for those going through it truly believe that there's no other option for them. It's good that you're on the side that have difficulty believing in this, and I only hope that applies to all methods of suicide as well. Be happy and safe!