Why do many youngsters self harm and cut themselves now when it was unheard of in previous decades?

Question

Is it because life is harder for them or is it a fashionable fad?

Or maybe it has always existed in the same frequency but was kept well hidden?

Answer 1

''In the past, self-harm was expressed in different ways. It was called hysterical behaviour, or manifested by women not eating, pulling their hair out or scratching themselves. We tended to examine it in the context of psychiatry - looking at girls who were in care or in hospital. Now we are finding out it is much more common."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/12/10/hharm110.xml

There is a history of self harming going back centuries.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4697319

Some 19th century doctors classed it as ‘Severe morbid onychophagia’, hardly catchy is it?

Some books have investigated self harm in the past. Eg.
‘The Language of Injury: Comprehending Self-mutilation’
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Language-Injury-Comprehending-Self-mutilation/dp/1854332341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198807551&sr=1-1

It’s like child abuse, neither is a recent phenomenon; its just they weren’t really talked about openly in past times or were kept hidden because people didn’t want to think such ‘dreadful’ things could happen.

They certainly lacked the capacity to face up to them or attempt to deal with them.

Answer 2

I've been there, so I understand why they're doing it. Cutting yourself releases endorphins, which numb pain (emotional as well as physical), relax you and make you feel better about yourself. And yes, there is a social stigma attached to it. For an adult: weird, suicidal, attention seeker, someone who couldn't cope, someone who needs to toughen up. For a teenager: emo, attention seeker, drama queen, someone who needs to toughen up, 'lame' (or equivalent)... just generally someone to be scornfully looked down on. All of these labels should be avoided, as they make it very hard to ask for help. Personally, I would never have been able to tell anyone if the 'emo' label had been around (luckily, I just got in ahead of it). At the time, I felt that telling people had made it much worse, that people didn't care (because no one ever asked me what was wrong, and they as good as said that I only did it for attention) and that nobody else understood. looking back...most of that's true. Nobody took me seriously because I was young. It's true that some people cut themselves because apparently it's cool, but most people who do it need help. The biggest misconception about self harm is that they only want attention. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!! If you know someone who is hutching themselves, just be there for them. They'll appreciate it.

Answer 3

It has always existed, but how these matters were dealt with has changed. Remember a teenager in years gone by would have had far more responsibilities than they do today. 100 years ago in Britain, a child would have left school at 13 or 14, been working immediately, and most likely married with a family at 16-18. An attempted suicide would have resulted in being institutionalised far more often than it does today. Now, mental health provision is community based on an out-patient basis for those who pose no danger to themselves or anyone else. Only the most severe and serious attempted suicides result in forced hospitalisation.

Answer 4

I never saw kids doing it when I was growing up. (Graduated in '94). I think it is because of their lack of self worth ("Martel" stated a good reason for this above). We teach them that they evolved from apes millions of years ago...and they only graduated into apes after evolving from a rock that came from an explosion of nothing...These clueless kids are still trying to raise kids,...and no one is behaving like an adult because their is such a fuzzy line these days on what it is to be "grown up" and responsible and moral.

My take on it?...
1. Stop teaching these idiotic theories....
2. Look these kids in the eye and tell them that they are beautiful and great and God loves them just the way He created them and all of their querky ways.
3. Finally, stop choraling them all into a classroom to learn everything the same way and punishing them for not doing things in conformity, but encourage their individuality so they can express it in a healthier manner and have better self worth in our communities.

Yes, I believe they definitely have it harder! So much harder!

Answer 5

I think that a lot of it is boredom and the lack of other interests. In days gone by it did not exist because people had real issues to think of, how to get a job and how to keep it, how to feed yourself and scrape a living. When you are working 12 hours a day in a noisy factory surrrounded by other people it is hard to summon up sufficient self pity to cut yourself there was too much chance of getting hurt for real, and too many people around you telling you not to be such a stupid bloody fool. Do not forget, kids started work at 14 then, and did not have much time to become morbidly self centred. As to life being harder for them today, don't be daft! When I was 14 I was working from 8 to 6 every day but Saturday, when I knocked off at 1. That was in 1945. Don't try to tell me that life is harder today than it was then! Nobody I knew hurt themselves on purpose, but several got hurt by accident.

Answer 6

I think it always existed, the only difference is it was expressed in a different way. Now that is fashionable, is like a new language with a sublime message that says and represents lots of factors. I think back in the 80s, instead of that, people used to try the new drugs in town, or anything harmful, being harfmul is what counts and what gives the message.

Answer 7

I dont think its anything to do with being fashionable. I get so angry sometimes I hurt myself to try and relieve the pressure.. I know it sounds stupid but it actually works for me, and its the only thing I can think of at the time when im so angry, to get my frustrations out (by punching doors mostly, should take up boxing come to think of it!!)

And for me, its not for sympathy, I hide what I do and feel ashamed that I have done it to myself afterwards, but at the same time I just cant control it.. so many angry emotions and no-where for them to go!

Im nearly 25, and have been doing it since I was 14/15..

Answer 8

I'd say some do it because they have such a high amount of self pity on their self and put their self down or are really unhappy..and wants sympathy for it..

or maybe as problems in their life (mind) that they can not express out and get it of their shoulders..or just hates life and don't want to live it be that the case they should just cut their head off..nah find help

Answer 9

It wasn't as widespread thats for sure. Part of the reason is when you publicize a problem others see it and immitate the behavior. For example, when a suicide is shown all over tv and super publicized--the number of youth suicides dramatically increases. Yea, Ive seen a lot of people who self harm for show (cut their arms and wear short sleaves to show it off). Not to say that some pepole that self harm do have a lot of psychological issues and are not "pretending" others do it for attention only. I hope I helped :)

Answer 10

It's not just youngsters.
It's always existed, just was kept hush years ago, like a lot of things were.
We have a more open and honest culture now.