why do people self harm?

Question

serious question...why do people do it?

Answer 1

Self-inflicted violence (SIV) is a common means of managing the after-effects of traumatic experiences. Intentional physical wounding of the body serves to temporarily manage many of the emotional struggles that stem from historical unhealed trauma. Most people living with self-injury have experienced abuse of some form and have found SIV helpful in dealing with overwhelming feelings, psychic stress, flashbacks and triggers of abuse memories, and other repercussions common to trauma survivors. Once understood in this context, SIV can be healed by acknowledging the needs it serves for the person living with it and by addressing the trauma from which it springs.

Answer 2

I'm 24, I've had a problem with self harm for the past 2 years and I'm currently trying to stop. For me it started when I became very depressed, and I felt totally numb and dead - cutting was a way of proving to myself that I could still feel SOMETHING.......even if it was pain. Self harm gave me a way to express feelings that I couldn't put into words no matter how hard I tried. It gave me a feeling of relief from the intense pressure I felt inside. Over time it became a way to punish myself for the things I thought I'd done wrong, a way to punish myself for not being good enough. And in time, self harm becomes a habit more than anything - it becomes the only way you can deal with things.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone though, it's caused me a lot of problems recently - I only ever self harm on my legs so that no-one will find out, but it was discovered when I had to have emergency surgery a few weeks ago.......

Answer 3

People, especially those who have suffered abuse, can't feel the pain emotionally like another. Cutting and or any type of self-mutilation is in order to FEEL. Rubbing erasers across the skin causing burns, lighter burns, cuts appearing on the wrists/arms, pulling out hair, head banging...