Does adolescent cutting indicate a mental health issue or disorder?

Question

This person is no longer an adolescent. She is 26 years old now and tried to commit suicide twice last year. We have a 13 month old son and are going through a divorce. I am very concerned.

Answer 1

Absolutely YES! It's a cry for help. Please get them to a doctor or psychologist right away!

Answer 2

Most of the answers addressed emotional pain...and they were all right. A great majority of these "cutters" were traumatized in their young years...physically, emotionally or sexually abused. Many of them go on to develop personality disorders, such as Borderline Personality Disorder. This disorder usually "burns itself out" by the time the individual reaches their 40's. Depression and anxiety tend to go along with this whole picture. You are right to be concerned about your wife...get her the help she needs NOW. If she won't do it voluntarily, there is legal recourse to mandate help through the court system. Do all you have to do, so that in the end, no matter what the outcome, you will be able to say to yourself and your child that you did all you could do to help. God bless.

Answer 3

Cutting is a sign that there is major emotional or mental issues going on. When someone cuts themselves or does any self injury on purpose, it is because of many different reasons. Some cutters I know have done it because the physical pain draws them away from the other emotinal pain. Others do it because that have no control over what is going on in their life, but they can control how much physical pain they are in. Best to seek a professional. Sometimes cutters make mistakes and seriously hurt themselves.

Answer 4

It's more a mental health issue and generally is caused by an inability to vent or express emotional pain that is being held within. Cutting is the primary way to "release" the pain. Talk therapy is very effective along with learning to discuss emotions and not hold things in.

Answer 5

Yes, anything that is self destructive needs to be addressed by a professional. In everything I have seen it progresses and can lead to suicide so I agree that it is a mental disorder and encourage that person to get help any way you can even if you have to have an intervention with family or whatever. It is definetly a cry for help and needs treatment. GOD BLESS

Answer 6

I myself am a cutter people have tried to understand this problem for yrs many reasons no1 knows the reason only the person whos cutting they can only tell u why their doing this it is called self harm or self mutilation, they cut to release themself take the edge off release anger or problems they cant fix or if they feel guilty they do it to take it out on themself or maybe there wanting attention if there younger but mostly they do it to releave themself and most people try it cause they hear of it then it works so they do it its like a person smokin a cig or a person doing drugs please watch the upper legs, wrist top and underneath upper arms, and their stomach those are main places they cut also the bottom of their feet u shoudl definalty take them to a dr or pysc to get on meds if u can hope it works out for u

Answer 7

My little brother use to be a cutter. From what we have been able to learn kids cut because they are in some kind of emotional pain and don't know how to deal with it. They know how to deal with physical pain so they cut. My little brother cut after our grandfather passed away and they were very very close. He didn't cry or anything about it but he could when he cut. That way he could release what he needed to release. He did have therapy after we found out what he was doing and it did help. Hope this helps you out.

Answer 8

Yes it does, it isn't normal. I cut and I found out I had bipolar disorder. This child needs help and needs it fast. It is a sign that she can't cope with life and her problems, she could have depression which needs treatment. Someday it might end up being a deep cut across her vein, don't wait until then.

Answer 9

my fiance has used cutting for years to cope with depression. First understand they usually are not trying to commit suicide. they cut themsels to feel a different pain that is tormenting their minds. they can concentrate on the pure excusite pain wich will overwhelm the other pain.

Answer 10

You should be very concerned for your son, too. Cutting usually indicates border personality disorder and is very serious and sometimes very hard to treat. Suicide is fairly common with this disorder and you should either force her to obtain treatment or get custody of your baby since untreated, it is not safe for him to live with her.

Answer 11

Any cutting is a serious issue. The person usually has so much pain in their life that they cannot control that they cause a pain that they can control...the pain caused by cutting. It is extremely serious and should not be ignored.