why do people who self-harm cannot feel anythhing?

Question

can you site your reference. or where can i get information about it?

Answer 1

I think it's more that they feel too much, it's emotional pain and mental anguish; and they injure themselves in an attempt to control it or direct it's flow.

Answer 2

I would agree with everything said here so far, but if you are referring to the fact that often some people who self-injure say they don't feel it at the time, then the explanation you are seeking is the defense mechanism of dissociation. It's a psycholgical form of splitting one's sense of self from their experience-the emotional pain, the physical pain or the actual memory of the experience that caused the pain to begin with or all of that in extreme cases. The numbness is further enhanced by the release of endorphins in the brain which happens naturally when the body is harmed. The endorphins act like the body's natural pain killers and numb the experience of pain-sometimes this is the goal of cutting and sometimes the cutting happens during a dissociative state and the actual pain and blood bring the person back from the trance. I think you saw both answers referenced here by folks who have experienced it themselves. Listen to them and learn.

Answer 3

Oh they feel plenty, and they don't like what they feel, so they do something that provides relief from the initial emotional pain. This can escalate over time and become more serious because redirecting the pain to the physical realm only "solves" the issue temporarily. Self-harm sites all over the internet, but it you are experimenting with it, or have a friend who is, I hope you get some help.

Answer 4

People who self harm do feel... I don't know where you heard they can't. I used to cut myself back in the day... and it was only because I didn't have any other way to cope with pain. It's almost like a drug. Whenever I was feeling emotional pain I would cut myself to take my mind of the emotional and put it on the physical pain. Now, of course there are people out ther who do it just for attention, and others still who do it just because they like pain. But we all feel...

Answer 5

You need to get information about it by talking to people who do it. I burn myself with lighters, cigarettes. I feel things, feelings, but thats my one way of bringing myself to reality. Yeah, it leaves marks, but that reminds me that I've made myself hurt. Because some people who do it don't know what it feels like to hurt besides to self mutilate. It's not just always a cry out for help, or something that kids do to "look cool". It's a serious problem. It means that the person whose doing it can't control their emotions, and this one way of dealing with it all. I do it because of my upbringing and my father. And everytime that I see the burns on my body, I know when I did it, I know what it represents. Its something thats hard to explain and to be understood.

Answer 6

How about you cite your reference for your claim that people who self-injure don't feel it?

I assure you that self-injury does hurt. Often, the pain is part (or all) of the point of doing it in the first place.

Answer 7

We do feel something - emotional pain. And sometimes we can be dissociative during an act of self injury so that at the moment we feel no pain.

Answer 8

I burn myself. I do it because I am angry at myself. I hate everything about myself. So I guess its like punishment or something. It does hurt though, but thats just me.

Answer 9

If you'd want good sources, go to the library.

Answer 10

because they never know the impact for what they do.