Self Injury comes in many forms and many people practice this behavior. I myself am one of these people. Contrary to popular belief, most of the people who self injure (si) do not do it for the attention. If this was the case then we wouldn't try to hide our cuts and scars. The different forms are cutting, burning, hair pulling, biting, brusing, and, bone breaking. The most popular method of these is cutting. The sites for cutting is usually the forearm, wrist, shoulders,and/or ankles. The style of cutting and the utensil used is very personal to the person who practices cutting. Candles, music and the method used are also factors in this "ritual".
Si is used as a method of copeing to most who use it. It is a method of sustaining life and copeing during an emotionaly difficult time. When I cut I am usually angry or very upset. Si is a way to express your emotions physically instead of mentally, by crying. Si is used as a way to temporaily feel better. Si causes more problems than it solves. After the fact, the person may feel more distant and ashamed. This can be made worse by the reactions of friends and loved ones. It is an emotionaly scarring thing to do to yourself, but in many cases it is the only known way to express great emotion. Many people who engage in si were also either physically, mentally, or sexually abused; though this may not always be the case. Many people who grew up in an abusive home know no other way. To them abuse is "normal" to punish themselves is to be expected because they were always punished. The scars that you see are scars that go deeper than what the eye can see. If you are a friend or a loved one who knows someone who self injures, don't press the subject. That person will come and talk when he/she is ready to. |
