Kids and teens cutting themselves now?

Question

What is up with this? I know teens have pain in their lives -- we did too but I didn't know ANYONE (and I knew a lot of people) in school but NO ONE was into cutting themselves.....how and why did this start??? Teenagers have had pain in their lives (regardless of their home life) since the day the world began....it just doesn't make sense. I understand they say it "releases pain" -- how does it release pain? Is it an attention getter or what??? I raised to boys and they went through a LOT too and they never resorted to cutting themselves -- ever. I don't understand. Can anyone help me understand? If you cut yourself, please explain why and what is so horrible in your life that you would do this???

boo boo "raised two boys"

Answer 1

The main ideal behind the practice of Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB, is thought to be linked to many different causes, and it is also associated with different disorders. As explained in an article by Marano, H.E. for Psychology Today:
"Self-mutilation is 'the opposite of suicide,' insists Armando
Favazza, M.D., professor and vice chairman of psychiatry
at the University of Missouri, author of Bodies Under Siege:
Self-Mutilation in Psychiatry and Culture and a leading
authority on the subject. 'Those who do it want to live. They
do it to feel better. It's an impulsive act done to regulate
mood. April 2004.

Dr. Favazza has also gone on to label four main categories of self-injury those being:
1. Stereotypic
2. Major
3. Compulsive
4. Impulsive

Canver B. explains in research paper for Bryn Mawr College "Stereotypic SIB is primarily exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities and occurs without regard for social context or without thought and feeling. Major SIB is very dramatic and occurs as an isolated event whereas compulsive SIB occurs repetitively, sometimes multiple times a day. Impulsive SIB is episodic, buffered by periods where no SIB occurs" (Canver B. 2006).

The depths of the self injury depends on the extent that the person feels needs to be expressed is generally in impulsive self-injurers. One hypothesis on why self-injury exists is so that some people, who can not deal with a situation or can not find active coping mechanisms to utilize, attempt to transcend or change a psychological, spiritual, or cognitive pain into a physical pain so that it can be dealt with in this way. However, it must be stressed that not all peoples feel this way. So to answer you question, I leave you with the immortal words of my Memory and Cognition professor, "Well it depends..."

That is to say, there are many different hypotheses out for SIB, which one is right, it can't be proven as to which is right, due to the fact that each person is uniquely different in how they cope and deal with any given situation. If you know of somebody that practices SI, I would suggest referring them to the S.A.F.E. Alternatives Website, which is a SIB organization designed to help those who SI and find resources available in their area. The Web address for S.A.F.E. is : http://www.selfinjury.com/

Answer 2

Some teenagers who cut do it to be cool, but I promise you, there are ones that cut because it helps them get away from stress. Just because they have a good family life doesn't mean they don't have problems outside of their family. A lot of teens are bullied, have mood disorders or depression, or boy problems. Cutting does help some people. I wish people would stop thinking of cutting as a trend and start seeing the REAL problems that teens have. Some people just don't cope very well with problems. Just because YOU think their life is fine and dandy, doesn't mean it actually is. You can't see into their minds, so you have no right to judge anybody on why they self-harm.

Answer 3

I hate to break it to you but this is NOT something new and it is NOT done for attention!!!!! I grew up in the 70's and 80's and sure things were different but yeah, I cut and self harmed. Nothing that I am proud of but at that time it made sense to me. It was a coping mechanism, even though unhealthy. We don't know what people are going through. I went through some horrific abuse. I don't want yours or anyone else's attention nor pity. I always kept my injuries covered. I felt that I deserved the pain at times or else things were so overwhelming at times it was all I knew to do besides actually kill myself which I knew was "wrong". I toohad friends and no they would not openly announce it over the loud speaker but I would see the scars that were there or the behaviors they exibited which were similar to mine and so therefor more easy for me to recognize that they were self harming and going through bad things too. It is also done when in a dissociative state and I have been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder. WHY, WHY, can't we concentrate on helping these individuals and each other and looking for signs of abuse instead of ridiculing others for past behaviors when we don't know what anyone person suffered nor what they might be going through now, but let's just say as everyone wants to imply that it is for attention then da*n. Give the teens some attention and try to find out what is wrong and get them the help they need!!!! It is much easier for people to stay in denial and as a society that is what we are obviously still doing to our youth....quite sad!!!!
I have been in therapy now and have learned healthier coping mechanisms so I guess you could say I am a recovering cutter but I still have the urges and don't know that they ever truly go away. I blamed myself for things such as abuse happening to me and then things would just escalate so then it would get so stressful in my head that the only way to let it out was to hurt myself as I had been hurt. ya see, kind of a learned behaior. A vicious cycle. I have stopped that though now. I hope you have a better understanding and will look into this more so you can understand even more....there is sooooo much that goes into this. A tremendous amount of pain.

EDIT: MISTY~ perhaps you should try to teach her "the skills" instead of just watching~ I wish her the best considering it does not sound as though she has anyone around her as far as an adult figure that cares :((((((

Answer 4

It has been going on for quite a while. There are psychological disorders that cause individuals to self mutilate. It started getting press in the early 90's when it started to become a "fad". Kids who were pent up were told by their peers that it would relieve the pain. There was a big push with younger individuals to not feel. I think it may be experimented with more individuals than known, but those who embrace it have something deeply wrong emotionally or physically.

Answer 5

This webpage has a lot of info on cutting and self-injuring, and talks about the reasons behind the behavior:

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/cutting.html

Also, this hotline number offers a lot of free information...

Self Harm Hotline

1-800-DONTCUT

Help for "cutters"

Answer 6

It hasn't just started it's been around forever. I did it in college. It's only partially for attention, it is mainly to try to compensate for a lack in their lives and they cut out of frustration and sense of loss. It isn't that something is necessarily horrible, it is that something is intolerable, could be anything from judgmental parents and friends to insecurities about one's looks. Best way to handle it if you know someone who is doing it is to offer your support, not your censure, and encourage the to talk about whatever it is that's bothering them; most just need a sympathetic ear.

Answer 7

I`m a parent of a middle school girl and I`ve had the same question. My daughter came home one day and told me her friend was cutting and I totally freaked! This girl is unpopular and overweight and has always for as long as I`ve known her to have severe emotional and low self esteem problems. I feel she is doing it for attention or to create the feeling of belonging in the "IN" crowd. Her mother is concerned as well as I and we don`t know why it started or what to do to help her. Some kids just don`t have the skills they need to cope with rejection from their peers I guess.

Answer 8

i have known many people who do it for attention, and i know its attention because they'll tell EVERYONE. however, i do know about 1 or 2 people who do it to "release pain," but honestly, i think it's a very unhealthy way to do so. naturally, humans are supposed to go through different stages when we release pain: anger, sadness, and finally, acception. by cutting yourself, you are giving yourself TERRIBLE scars and harming your body. john mayer is right: your body is a wonderland, so why do people cut?? btw, im a teenager and dont feel a need to do myself any harm. sure i feel sad every now and then, but who doesnt??

Answer 9

Meh, teens are crazy (myself included... But I don't cut myself)
Only reason I can offer...

Answer 10

...emos started it and maybe drugs but not all emos cut so parents these days should watch who their kids are becoming friends with