Why do people cut themselves [not talking suicide]?

Question

I'm curious.... suicide makes a lot more sense than random cutting... anyone have a SERIOUS intellectual answer?

Answer 1

I used to be a self-manipulator

I can only answer this from my point of view-which is why I used to cut and burn, and it was to cause a different kind of pain then what I was enduring day after day (physical, sexual, verbal abuse).

However, the self-manipulation became addictive and gave me a buzz...which then led to me overdosing on over the counter pain meds (tylenol, ibuprofen, etc).

And that's when I became suicidal.

But now I've been diagnosed with bipolar and Im under medication and doing a lot better.

Answer 2

Cutting means someone is in soo much pain emotionally that cutting can take some of that tension and pain away for a little bit and for that one minute or so it is physical pain and it distracts the emotional pain that person is going through and not emotional pain which personally i think physical pain is better then emotional but anyways thoughs people don't know how to express their feelings so they cut instead of cry. Once someone starts it becomes addicting. It is a coping skill to "stay alive" it is very hard to understand i know espeically if you have not had this problem but it is serious. And suicide is completely different but, suicidal people may have cut themselves before and it just came down to suicide who knows?

Answer 3

I find the description to your question sickening People cut because they feel so alone, they want to end their lives. Being alone is temporary, people go through it every day. Wether at school, at home or anywhere else. Most teens are bullied, judged, rumored, outcasted, they feel so strong about how they feel they had no way of coping. Choosing to cut is truly not a healthy way to cope but a lot of teens do it, it helps them forget about their emotional pain and focus on the physical pain and it relieves the tension. I hope you read this is understand that you friends that do this are truly suffering. They cannot look at themselves in the mirror. I know what its like to be alone, left, shut out, and i have/am still cut. The fact that you find someone that is bi uncomfortable is horrible. You must accept who someone is for who they are.

Answer 4

It just might be for a release of emotional pain. The person who is doing this probably has a lot of pain and/or anger inside, and needs a way to release it. It could also be that they have an emotional wound that needs healing, but can't do it on their own. Instead of healing the emotional hurt, they cause something they can deal with, the cutting. In that way they feel more like they're in control and that they can do something to help themselves heal.

Answer 5

People tend to hurt themselves when they feel no one cares for them. It is a form of self-pity; however, normally people do not put these cuts in places where they can be viewed, basically a little reminder why they are or are not something. These people are silently begging for help whether it be in understanding or physical. I hope this is what you were looking for.

Answer 6

As an ex-cutter, I can share with you that I held a lot of anger and guilt inside.
Once I learned to validate my feelings and allow my anger without judgment, I stopped cutting - many years ago.

Answer 7

Cutting is one of the things that the person can control, whereby they can release their emotional buildup in a controlled way (obviously there are healthier strategies for releasing emotions in a controlled way).

Answer 8

Suicide and self mutaltion are two complete different mental illness and it`s not intellegent to compare them or think one makes more sence then the other.

Answer 9

cutting can be a control thing. some people do it because they need to feel someing other than numb and some do it because they need to be able to control one aspect of their lives. those are just a few examples but there are many reasons.

Answer 10

When you cut yourself, endorphins are released, giving you a sort of high that helps you to cope with your problems.