Why do people cut themselves on purpose?

Really if you want to know its me. I have done that a lot of time, I have even tried to bang my head on walls, actually never got seriously hurt but hurting myself a little bit did give me a bit relief from my instantaneous pains. Actually I also happen to know the reason why I do it. Its just because that sometimes my feelings just get stuck inside of me and keep on accumalating, and when I do not find proper venting then it turns that way. The only reason others are doing it is just that they are facing the same and also that telling their parents might increase the problem, as to I feel that its the parents who are the main culprit as they do not give proper time to their children and who always try to be dominating makeing their children afraid of speaking out and seeking shelter. If only you have somebody who is ready to listne to your every pain and sorrow and before suggesting anything just give you some rest then these sort of things won't happen. ALWAYS TRY TO BE A GOOD VENT FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND AY BE YOU WILL BE SUCCESFULL IN SAVING THEM FROM THIS. Take care And May GOD Bless YOU

Just like any negative thing a teenager(or anyone really) might do, there are going to be different reasons for different kids. That there are 2 girls doing this, assuming they are friends, my guess is one who started doing it first is probably going through some major turmoil in her life. The one who started after seeing the first girl doing it, thinks it's "cool". But that's just a guess & I could be totally off base with that. Sometimes I think kids try something, be it smoking, drinking, cutting, shoplifting, whatever- and after a couple of tries they realize on their own this isn't for them and stop. If your daughter is friends with these girls I would probably give it a week or so, and ask her if they are still doing it. If they are still doing it after a little bit of time has passed I would talk to their parents or someone at the school.

I believe it is a type of ritualistic satanic practice, or at least it borders on the dark spiritual.

There could be many reasons they are doing this, maybe they think it is cool, maybe it's a cry out for attention. The fact that two of them are doing it, makes me think that one of them may have started and the other followed suite. I would definently tell the parents. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if God-forbid something happened, and you maybe could have prevented it. WHo cares if they get mad at you, or tell you it's none of your business, think of how they would feel if you didnt tell them, and something happened! Self-mutilation can be a dangerous sign of real distress and depression. These girls need help, and counseling. SOme people have tendencies towards depression, teenagers especially with their raging hormones and their ever changing emotions, face these very real issues daily. They are not mature enough to logically take into accout the concequences such actions may make. THey may not try to kill themselves, but a deep cut can bleed badly. Definently contact the parents.

First,let me say that the talk you had with your daughter was a great way to explain this situation to her....yes,tell the parents,if you don't feel right going to the parents,let someone at the school know about it so they can take the proper action.....Most parents do notice the self-mutilation but it's just like any teenage illness,they are good at covering up and making excuses from I fell to a friend's cat scratched me.....And your daughter is right,these kids are doing this because it 'makes them feel better',they are hurting from something that has happened in their past,whether it's emotional or physical abuse at home,bullying,it could be anything and 'cutting' themselves lets them forget about it,if only for a minute.....It is also known as an unhealthy coping mechanism.....these kids have no idea how to deal with their problems in a healthy way,so keep talking to your daughter,teach her how to talk openly to you so she doesn't find herself in this situation.....

hi there.. i've been thru alot of problems in my life and i've started cutting myself lightly just to take the pain away, yes and also to punish myself for so many mistakes. but luckily i didn't put anything further and get scars because friends told me that it's not good to hurt myself because it wont do help to solve the problems but to talk with someone older & wiser whom they can advise you with the problems. like you did the right thing is to talk to your daughter to come to you if there's any problems. you know, sometimes people cut themselves just to get an attention. of course, to scare other people so that they can come to them. it's not right. i didn't do that. like telling people that i did cut myself. friends just noticed my wrists (thin cuts)and asked if i got any problems. you're a parent of your 14 year old daughter, if you know your daughter's friends' parents, and it's best to confirm them about their daughter's situations. because it's to stop them from getting hurt. and to let the parents' know that their daughters needs some professional help. being teenager is a tough stage.. very tough. teenagers would feel being hated by other people or family. feeling lonely or heartbroken. there are many reasons for people to hurt themselves. again, the best thing is for the parents to talk to their children the problems and to comfort them if there's any of needs. to be open, share, patience and understanding. if they can't share anything as they may be afraid to share, maybe you can ask them permission if they can find someone professional therapist to talk to. i hope this message from me makes sense:) good luck:)

I am experiencing this problem with my 15 year old i found out recently from the school guidance counselor that she is cutting herself.She would wear long sleve shirts to cover up the cuts and that is why i never seen them.She says she is doing it because of kids picking on her at school.I have her in counseling for it now and her counselor says it is a way for her to release her pain from being bullied at school we are working with her and so far she hasn't cut herself anymore.I would deffinately go to the parents of the girls and tell them they need to get help for there kids before it is to late.I would want to be told if it was me.

i use to this to myself when a was a bit younger. Specially when my dad and i had a fight and he slap me many times on my face. after that i cut my hand many times. i was bleeding all over but i didn't even feel the pain i gave myself. it was so overwhelming that it took the pain away my father gave me. The next thing i knew it became a bad habit for me. every time i felt pain or if someone hurt me emotionally, i would inflict pain on myself. but i didn't cut myself anymore. i was a bit vain at that time and i didn't want to have any scar on me. but i use to hit myself, punch the wall many times until i feel sore, bang myself on the wall, those type of things. People like you won't be able to understand the emotional pain those people like me are suffering. It is like a form of sickness, most teenagers have. because there is no one to talk too about this type of feelings, the feeling of emptiness are just bottling up and if that happens they just have to release that anger they have in the world. these young people don't intend to kill themselves, they just want to end the pain and by hurting themselves they are somehow taking out the pain they are feeling. I am over that type of action now and i will never hurt myself ever again... Your question is what to do with them? try knowing what type of family they are in first... if you could talk to the parents then that is good. remember that the more you criticize these kids the more that they will inflict pain on themselves. so you have to be cautious. and really good for you to have talked with your daughter. this is the time when she needs you the most. the more you know about how she feels and who she her friends are, the more she would be safe with that type of action.

i can tell you as a cutter myself, it is about dealing with pain. When you feel the physical pain of cutting your body and making yourself bleed, you don't feel the emotional pain as prevalently. It is a way of release. it is also a way to "punnish" yourself when you feel you have done wrong or are no good. It is also a means of control. So often, we feel so out of control, and this is something we CAN control. The fact that your daughter can see the cuts means these girls are pretty much doing it to get attention. CUtters who want to hide the fact that they cut hide the scars. They do it under bracelets or on the inner thighs, on their hips...anyplace that cannot be easily seen. Or, if they DO cut where it can be seen, they are usually smart enough to make it just a cut here or there that can be blamed on animal scratcheds or everyday injuries. Cutters have a way of hiding it. You cano't say you would notice if your daughter was cutting, because i highly doubt she lets you see her nakes and explore her body. my mother never knew i cut. i got caught once when i was stupid enough to cut my ankle and then be seen without socks before the cuts healed, but i played it off as a one time only thing. my mother still to this day doesn't know what a problem it is, and i am now going to be 23 in May.

I don't even think its about attention, or about expressing frustration. I was really badly bullied at school and I used to scratch my arms until the bled with my fingernails. when they bled I felt better. I suppose it releases some kind of chemical in the brain which made me feel better. it happens in every culture. I never decided to do it. it was an unconscious action, and it made me feel better. I think as a parent, if you realise it's happening it wouldn't help to make an issue out of it. just to be a supportive parent and do anything you can to change the situation that's causing it. even if it can't be stopped at least they'll feel more valued and supported. it's usually related to school situations, and once out of school and out of the situation it will probably stop because its no longer needed as a coping mechanism.

Further to the responses of others (and forgive me if I repeat anything), I can't speak from personal experience but a close friend who used to self-harm has looked back on it and said she actually got a rush from cutting herself. It was as if the mental or emotional pain which caused her to cut in the first place was lessened by the adrenaline and endorphin rush of the physical pain, and would calm her down when upset and panicking. It actually felt *good* apparently, the feeling of release came from the body's chemical reaction to the pain rather than the pain or the act itself.

Well i have to reply to this since i myself am an ex-cutter. When i was in high school i was very alone and had no real friends and it begain at the point out of the fact that i was in pain and didn't want to focus on that. But after high school i learned to push any feelings i had good or bad away and began not feeling anything. So i started cutting again in my early twenty's so that way i would feel something and then it became a habit anytime i felt like i should feel something i began cutting. Well my ex-boyfriend noticed and told me to go to the doctor so i did and then i got on meds im better now and really have no need or want to cut myself but i feel for those out there that do. They feel like its the only way to get other things out. And just as a note some do it strictly for attention and thats probably why they let their peers see it but not their parents. And yes you should tell them because one day they could accidently cut to deep and die someone should be told so that way these girls can get the help needed

perphaps some people cannot handle some stupid things inside his brain....

Ok. I'm 21 and cut as a teenager. Not as deep or much as some do. However, Everyone does it for different reason. My reason at the time was because I had lost my mother to a drunk driver. And my sister who had been my best friend next to my mother. had moved out at 17 because she got pregnant and wanted to be an adult then my dad moved us out of state. I was alone and trying my damnest to be strong and tough. When I lost my mom. Her and my dad weren't together and our dad wasn't even in our life. So all of a sudden not only had I lost my mom I was living with a stranger in a new area and my sister gone. I was so alone all I wanted to do was cry all the time. However, everyone knew me as sondra the one who was always smileing cripper if I may say and never sad never crying. And suddenly it was easier to cut and express my pain that way then to cry and be a weak human. After all its more fun to be cripper everyone loving you then sad and noone knows how to help. However, a friend of mine found out tried to help I didn't stop so she told her mom and her mom told my dad and step mom and it helped. In the beginning I hated my friend she was a rat but after I got help and stoped I felt better. I think you should tell them because its the only thing that helped me stop and the more who know about it then the better.

Well I'd say I DONT understand it but I know a few people personally who have done so. My sister for one. I didnt even know about it till years later. She had scars on her leg upper one where it doesnt always show. And I made a comment. And she got all touchy and my mom told me my sister was going through a hard time and it helped her emotionally deal with it. I think the whole thing is really sad. I really wish they'd see there are better ways to deal with pain then hurting themselves. I'm glad my sister doesnt do this anymore and I'm sorry I didnt know she was doing it at the time. I would have done something to help her out and make her feel better. Isnt that what sisters are for?

I think it's all due to peer pressure and psychological reasons. In order for these teens to conform, they tend to follow what the other party is doing just for the sake of being different. They want to look like they are way above the rest. Other than that, they lack attention from their authority figure or rather love. They are doing it for the sake getting attention. Sometimes parents are in the dark 'cos their children are very good at hiding these marks. I think these children need to be counselled. If we as parents know of such activities happening to others, I believe we should act. We should inform the school so that they can act too. This should be done discreetly to prevent the children from feeling ashame or hurt..

its a good thing that you have a very good relationship and communication with your kid... its difficult to tell wether you shooud directly tell teh parents of these kids but if you could show concern and try to talk to the parents of these girls but not necessarily telling them point blank as they might think your are being nosy about their lives...

I would tell the parents. If it was me I would be sad but I would want to know. My son has done that and we are all in counsling because I know if he is feeling like that is the only release he can get than something needs to change in the whole family unit at least maybe the way our communication is which it never hurts to get someone not so close to the issues to give some input.

You need to go to the school and let the councler know what is going on. You do not want other girls in the school system to think that this is cool. Hopefully the school will step in and get them the help they need.

cut themselves....owwwwwwwwwwww....thats soo bad