If you are a cutter, does the problem get worse over time?

Question

I have been cutting my self for less than a year and I have found the self cutting is getting worse. I have only cut the inside of my arms but as of tonight I started cutting my stomach. I do suffer from sever depression and do become very suicidal at times, but have had a few days now where I am doing ok and functioning better but still have the urge to cut my self. Has this happened to anyone before?. Where I live there is no real help avalable despite the endless searching and with the lack of medical insurance only adds to the problem. Any sincer input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

ok i have self harmed before .....like this ....
and wot i want 2 say 2 honey is the more u do it the more u think its easying the pain .... its like when someone is on a diet and need 2 lose weigh because there going 2 die and they eat and eat because it makes them feel better.. but when they stop and take control the less they feel the adiction.....
try and draw ur cuts on a piece of paper .......instead of doin it i no it sounds stupid but when 7day pass and u havent salf harm the less u will want 2....
believe me the more u do it the more u think its easyin ur pain....so dont do it and u will feel less wanting 2 do it...
good luck darling

Answer 2

Yes it does. I started cutting when I was 15. Started with small scratches. The last time I cut was when I was 34. Took 25 stitches to close. Also, I don't know how old you are, but the scars become more embarassing as time goes on. Not such a big deal when I was in my 20's. Now I am a college graduate and have a professional job where I can't wear long sleeves all the time. Everyone can see them. Some ask questions, some pretend not to notice. Long after the problems that made you cut are gone, the scars will still be there. The danger of serious damage increases as you get used to doing it since a person tends to become less scared of it and less careful about how deep the cut is. You may cut while drinking or on drugs and accidentally cut deeper than you intended. If you switch what you use you might not realize the difference it can make in how deep the cut will be. Get help. Call a crisis response hot line to see if they know of any resources. Go to your Department of Health and Social Services office and apply for state funded treatment. Call a national hotline. You can find a lot of resources on the internet. Look under cutting and self injury. Cutting can become an addiction. Please keep trying until you find some help. Confide in a trusted friend or relative. It sometimes helps if you have someone who you can talk to or who can be aware of changes in your behavior you may not notice that occur prior to your cutting. Try to find out what triggers you to cut. Is it anger, frustration, rejection, fear of abandonment, stress, too much change, loneliness, numbness, guilt, shame, regret? If you can recognize what situations or events are likely to provoke an episode, you have a better chance of choosing a healthier coping mechanism. I hope this helped.

Answer 3

I started cutting when iwas 16,i am now 44.I took a good long break for about 20 years but I started again almost 3 years ago.It seems like everytime I cut it is bigger than the cut before.It's as if I need more & more ,as if it's an addiction.when I feel hopeless and overwhelmed I feel like it helps me feel better.I a few years ago I knew I needed help,I am bi-polar as well.i went to the mental health center where I live .I have lived in a few different stated and there were mental health centers that base your fee on your income(I have no insurance either). I went off my medication last week because i was just frustrated and annoyed ,I thought I would lose my mind! All i could think about was cutting,I really try hard not to now.I went back on my meds ,and i feel better.I think you need help ,it's a hard thing to deal with. Can you let us know what state you live in? oh by the way I also get my meds for free through the doctors .it's available I hope you can help yourself.

My daughter's fiancee killed himself 2 weeks ago ,never do that .This devastates the lives of those that love you.You can make it thru this .

Answer 4

Cutting is a form of self-injury that is usually a coping mechanism used because we don't have a healthy way of coping in stressful situations. I began cutting in high school, when I was 17. I am now 33. I have had numerous stitches and trips to the ER. Many hospitalizations for depression. Most often when I went to the ER the staff would ask me why I tried to kill myself and wouldn't listen when I tried to explain that I wasn't trying to kill myself. It used to be very misunderstood- still is, but somewhat less so. I was trying to release my emotional pain in a physical way. I never felt the physical pain. The sight of the blood calmed me. There is medical evidence that chemicals released during release of blood are calming to the brain- reinforcing the fact that it IS calming to those who do it. It does tend to escalate because it BECOMES your way of coping with stress. You need to talk to a professioanal because you need to learn how to replace this method of coping with a more healthy coping strategy. It is difficult and takes a lot of effort. Start by talking to a school counselor, if you are in school. They have resources they can offer through the school or at lease know of the resources available. Or check with the local crisis hotline- it is usualy in the front of your phone book with the other 800 #'s. The book, "Bodily Harm" by Karen Carteiro and Wendy Lader was a God send for me. They founded the first center specifically for the treatment of Self Injury (it's located in Illinoi). This book is really awesome. It was like reading my life. The most important thing is to tell someone and get help. I was able to stop, although when I am especially overwhelmed, I still have the urge to cut and I have to think it through. It is a battle that I know I will struggle with forever. It is good that you recognize what you are doing is dangerous and unhealthy- many people don't realize it for a long time. Make some calls, someone will help. It is likely you suffer from depression or another form of mental disease that needs treatment as well. You are not alone, many people suffer from this and it is treatable with hard work and desire. Good luck and be safe.

Answer 5

GET HELP NOW!!! Before this gets worse. The price that the lack of medical insurance has is much less than what keeping cutting will do. If it doesn't kill you (which it probably will) it will scar you badly. Go to the local DHS or Health Department and ask someone for help. They can't deny you in this state of need. Health Department is better than DHS. A clinic can also get you help. If it gets too bad you can always call 911. This can only get worse my cousin went through this and almost killed himself. Please get help soon.

Answer 6

Yes it can. You could kill yourself. I doubt it will get better with out intervention. Call the hot line for help. There are a lot of cutter here, so i would assume its a common hidden problem. Don't let the jerks on this site get to you. Most of the time isee some crude message on thsi subject. Someone got to create and internet support group. There are so many. Can some help with yahoo groups are something.

Answer 7

Generally yes, cutting will get worse over time. Cutting, for most people, is a way of dealing with something else that they aren't ready or capable of dealing with. If they aren't taking actions to help resolve this issue then the issue will continue. I know from personal experience, I was actively cutting myself for about ten years. I wish that I had better advice for how to help you. I went to doctors for a while but all they really did was try to work through my feelings and threaten to put me in the hospital if I didn't stop cutting (they did put me in the hospital.) I didn't find therapy to help but I did find it helpful to find someone who you can talk to and trust. Someone who won't allow you to do that to yourself. Eventually I just realized that I was disappointing and hurting them whenever I did cut myself and had to stop. I still get the urge to cut sometimes, especially if I've had a really bad day but I just have to not allow myself to cope with my feelings in that way.

I hope that this helps you.

Answer 8

I don't know where you live, what your age is, or what your finances are, but if you have absolutely beat the state you live in to death about getting help and you still can't, you must check other states, and if need be and is obtainable, you need to relocate to get yourself better. I am not a cutter and I have never known anyone who is, I truely do not understand how someone could inflict that kind of pain to themselves? Just continue to endlessly search until you find help.
Good Luck

Answer 9

Worse over time? It does as you age. Go to a therapist. Ask them what the most common Axis II disorder is and what does "acting in" mean.

If you have the courage to ask, you'll be well on your way to getting over this issue. First time counselling session with a clinic associated with a church will be very inexpensive.

So, don't worry about the money. There are ways to have that taken care of.

Good Luck.

Answer 10

It really depends on if you're able to change your life. Mostly this happens through psychological treatment. I have an awesome husband who provides a lot of support and stability, and I've stopped cutting entirely. Calling crisis lines may help, otherwise, consider finding looking for help through charitable organizations. Local teachers, religious leaders, and medical providers may be able to refer you to something. Meanwhile, please try not to cut yourself, and if you feel you have to, try to avoid areas with lots of veins and arteries close to the surface. Don't wait until you need the emergency room to seek medical treatment. It is much better to be in debt than to be dead.