Self-mutilation
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http://ks.essortment.com/whatisselfmut_rfyb.htm
Called the “new age anorexia,” the practice of self-abuse or mutilating behavior is on the rise. It is estimated that one out of every 200 teen girls between the ages of 13 and 19 regularly practice self-abusive behavior with a reported 2 million cases in the US alone. But why? Why do these teens hurt themselves? To them, it’s sacred, it’s a secret and it’s their’s.
There are several types of self-abusive and mutilating behaviors. They include cutting, burning, wound interference and picking. Cutting is just as it sounds. The teen will use a razor blade, knife, broken mirror or a piece of glass – what ever they can – and “cut” their skin allowing it to bleed openly for several minutes. Burning is the practice of placing cigarettes, hot metal, lighters, or lit matches to the skin and causing a burn. The practice of wound interference is done by creating a wound, whether it is a cut, burn, bruise, or bump, and preventing it from healing by tearing, picking or pushing on the wound. Picking is done when a self-mutilator literally “picks” at their skin until a wound is created and bleeds.
Those that practice these self-abusive behaviors do so in an attempt to “release stress, pain, fear or anxiety.” Generally practiced by teen girls – but affects at least 11 thousand boys a year as well – the teen may feel out of control regarding their life and practice these behaviors in an attempt to regain that control. Some teens state that it “feels good to be in charge of your own pain when so many others try to do it for you.”
The teens that self-abuse are not the ones who get numerous tattoos or piercings; it is very difficult to identify a person who practices self-abusive behaviors out of a high school full of teens. These teens are generally good students, have normal or above normal appearances, are involved in school and after-school activities and have parents who are involved in the community. Most come from above average income levels and both parents may work outside the home. However, as they want to keep their secret, these teens will not usually participate in activities that require changing clothes at school – or will change in secret when no one is around – and may not have many close friends. Self-abusive teens tend to internalize any conflicts with friends, school or parents as they do not want to “cause trouble” for anyone. As a result, the fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, sadness, isolation, frustration and emotional pain inside builds to a point where the teen feels they will “explode.” To prevent this explosion – and to deal with the emotions they are feeling – they cut, or burn, or pick in an attempt to “bleed them out.” This to them is a release and a coping mechanism; it’s how they deal with life and all it offers.
Signs and symptoms of self-abusive or mutilating behavior includes the presence of fresh, healing and/or scars from old injuries, a knife, lighter or matches in purse or book bag with no logically explanation for itÂ’s being there, making excuses for injuries, wanting to do own laundry, locking self in bathroom for long periods of time with water running and the presence of a new injury upon leaving bathroom, blood or burn stains in the inside of clothing as well as becoming overly defensive when approached about the possibility of self-abusive behavior.
There is hope. Several organizations deal with self-abusive and mutilating behavior in an attempt to help those who harm themselves learn better coping mechanisms. Organizations such as “Don’t Cut,” “Self-Injury,” and “Self Abuse Stops Now” have both websites and 800 numbers where teens can get information and help. Treatment for these types of behaviors may include individual and family therapy as well as medications to lessen the anxiety and depression the teen may be feeling. -
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Its not really funny because some people actually do that because they cannot cope with stress.
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i m laughing not becos its funny. i m laugh becos i dun believe ppl make such a big fuss over such small things.Originally posted by phobic:Its not really funny because some people actually do that because they cannot cope with stress. -
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Ain't this a common sight.
Seriously a lot of girls I know who practice self-mutilation use it to their advantage for emotional blackmail -
Its a cry of distress rather than emotional blackmail.
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i m no longer a teen. and u go guess about the gender part.Originally posted by phobic:
i dun need help,u do.
u dun even know what i do,why i do it,how i feel doing it,and u say i need help?
do i question why u live?or how u live? -
cry???Originally posted by phobic:Its a cry of distress rather than emotional blackmail.
distress???
u dun do it,do u? -
The posting is not meant for you.Originally posted by ratinacage:i m no longer a teen. and u go guess about the gender part.
i dun need help,u do.
u dun even know what i do,why i do it,how i feel doing it,and u say i need help?
do i question why u live?or how u live? -
nope.Originally posted by ratinacage:cry???
distress???
u dun do it,do u? -
so other than reading about it and maybe seeing some pictures,u dun really know what it is,do u?Originally posted by phobic:nope.
u understand that there are ppl who do it,and there are people who write about it,then there are those who read about it,right?
so do u think its fair for someone who reads about it telling someone who do it that its not right?
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so its only meant for female teens who cut up themselves??Originally posted by phobic:The posting is not meant for you.
where do male men go for help then? -
For some I agree it is a cry of distressOriginally posted by phobic:Its a cry of distress rather than emotional blackmail.
But I have seen and known people who use it as emotional blackmail. -
Maybe you ought to know more about bipolar disorder.Originally posted by ratinacage:so other than reading about it and maybe seeing some pictures,u dun really know what it is,do u?
u understand that there are ppl who do it,and there are people who write about it,then there are those who read about it,right?
so do u think its fair for someone who reads about it telling someone who do it that its not right?
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=114322 -
The helplines will help anyone regardless of their gender.Originally posted by ratinacage:so its only meant for female teens who cut up themselves??
where do male men go for help then?
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=116159 -
amputation of bodily appendages.
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yeah..its understandable how and y the public is not able to fully understand these kinda things..
i dont totally blame on ratinacage for his ignorance though..
but seriously, putting those smileys as a response may be quite offensive for some of us, especially those who have or are going through the self mutilation trauma..
these kinda things, to them, are just as serious to someone having cancer and whatnots..really, although its hard for a lot of us to understand its depth of seriousness..
as an example..if someone were to explain how cancer affects people's lives and so on..
and as a response, u put all those smileys..what would the cancer-stricken people think?
the answer is obvious right..they will also feel offended..
yah, same goes here..
anyways, i dont really blame u.. -
ratinacage? ignorant? i'd say he's at the forefront of the self-cutting movement. it's more like, to him it's such an everyday thing that it seems hilarious when you "normal" people look at us and think we're "crazy" when to us you seem as "crazy" as we do to you.Originally posted by somepersonlah:yeah..its understandable how and y the public is not able to fully understand these kinda things..
i dont totally blame on ratinacage for his ignorance though..
but seriously, putting those smileys as a response may be quite offensive for some of us, especially those who have or are going through the self mutilation trauma..
these kinda things, to them, are just as serious to someone having cancer and whatnots..really, although its hard for a lot of us to understand its depth of seriousness..
as an example..if someone were to explain how cancer affects people's lives and so on..
and as a response, u put all those smileys..what would the cancer-stricken people think?
the answer is obvious right..they will also feel offended..
yah, same goes here..
anyways, i dont really blame u.. -
It's not self-injury if the primary purpose is:
sexual gratification
body decoration (e.g., body piercing, tattooing)
spiritual enlightenment via ritual
fitting in or being cool
http://www.focusas.com/SelfInjury.html -
so it's not self injury even though there are injuries caused by oneself? ok i see the logic.
just like, it's not suicide if u wanted to die. -
Its like the difference between euthanasia and suicide.Originally posted by HENG@:so it's not self injury even though there are injuries caused by oneself? ok i see the logic.
just like, it's not suicide if u wanted to die. -
and what's the difference? euthanasia is killing yourself, suicide is killing yourself. um.... difference being?Originally posted by phobic:Its like the difference between euthanasia and suicide. -
killing yourself for different reasons.Originally posted by HENG@:and what's the difference? euthanasia is killing yourself, suicide is killing yourself. um.... difference being? -
...Originally posted by phobic:killing yourself for different reasons.
and does that change the end result?