Why do People Self Mutilate?

Self mutilation is often an self esteem issue. Usually the self mutilator has mental issues, such as chemical imbalances within the brain, or a personality disorder. Often a person who cuts themselves reasons that the pain of the cutting is less harmful than the emotional pain they may be experiencing. The act of cutting and watching themselves bleed is an act of releasing this pain. For some it is a 'making themselves less' relating back to the self esteem issues. The actual act can and often does become an addiction of sorts. There is treatment, psychological counseling available for such people. These are not people who wish to hurt themselves, they are people who are seeking a way to relieve the pain they are feeling. Depression is often a condition that self mutilation is a symptom of. Some good information can be found on these sites. http://wso.williams.edu/~atimofey/self_mutilation/ http://www.focusas.com/SelfInjury.html http://www.coolnurse.com/self-injury.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm Help for the self mutilator http://www.selfinjury.com

There really can be many reasons why a person would do this - most of which is related to emotions - maybe she wasn't getting the attention she truly needed from someone in her family or didn't feel like she was being listened to or truly loved & cared about. It's very difficult for anyone to understand why someone would do this if they haven't experienced it - I have been there - and yes it's extremely hard to explain it to anyone - even working with a doctor to try and find the reasons why - and yes being there - the release of physical pain does make you feel better in this situation - it can also be related to a way of getting attention that you have always needed but never got and found that by doing this - you finally get some attention - yes I know it's not the way to go about things but when you have suffered for so long - and haven't found any other coping methods - it's hard to quit!!!! And you need so much support to break the habit!!!! I wish her well!!!!!

I don't think you will ever be able to understand. I don't do it myself. But it's something that you can't grasp unless you do it yourself. It's a mental illness.

you know, the sad thing is that they probably don't know why they're doing it either. anyone who does self-mutilate is obviously very mentally and emotionally disturbed and thinks that maybe hurting themselves will make them feel better and in control. however, it's all a mental game because self-mutilation is actually, in my opinion, a form of losing control. but its a pain that you can inflict on yourself as opposed to pain that is inflicted upon you by others, so i guess that can give them a sort of gratification because nobody else is hurting them.

Most people who hurt themselves don't like the term "self-mutilate." They prefer self-harm or self-injury. But anyway, that's beside the point. I'm not sure anyone really knows why they hurt themselves, but like you said, it takes their mind off of the emotional pain. Sometimes seeing the blood just... I don't know... it helps in some sort of way. I can't explain it. I know that didn't really help you to understand, but like I said, I don't think the self-injurers even understand it, themselves...

lol is she a emo kid i hate emos Does she drees and place and act sad wear her hair strange lol i got about 30 emo kids at me school

I'm not sure of the reasoning behind what is also called "cutting" i think those people need serious help. it does seem to be a growing trend though sort of like a fad though. it seems popular to act and be depressed and cut one's self. i dont know why this is and i think it's very suck.

bad, bad news when you get messed up in your thinking.

my sister-in-law used to do this. Until the day that she tried to overdose on Tylenol. Ended up in the hospital and the Mental ward for observation. She has been on medication and seeing a Christian conselor ever sence. She has a new lookout on life now. We don't know for sure but all the pain she was causing herself was her way of "releasing" the pain she thought she was in. She wanted someone to love her and she didn't think anyone did.

From what I know it is definately emotional.The feelings are so intense that there has to be a release of some kind.Self harming is not the reccomended way of course but for some it is the only way they can cope.

I have not self harmed in 3 months now, but I did it for release. I have had bad things happen to me when I was a child... so I have a lot of really horrible emotions that build up inside. Cutting was the opening for the bad feelings to go away. It was my coping mechanism... the only thing I knew that worked. Now I am learning skills to help me deal with the intense emotions, and although I still get major urges, I try so hard not to do it. It has taken me years to stop... and my psychiatrist said that some people do slip back sometimes, but I am trying hard not to do it anymore. Hopefully after your friends daughter has been getting help for a while... she will stop. Lets hope so.

then i guess ur friends daughter need immediate pshycological help...tell ur friend to take him to pshyciatrist...coz this sure is a sign to seek help..theres even a genetic disorder where a person wont feel pain..n coz of that they think dey are very strong n keep hurtin demselves but dey hurtin da internal part of their body n it doesnt respond by giving pain..so they dunt no theres sumdn wrong in deir body,as ur friends daughters concern ithnk she need help n m sure the pshyciatrist can ans da question coz u need to know a detailed history of da child..it could be due to many reasons..depression,to seek attention,lack of socialism,lack of friends,mood disorders,obsessed,etc..

self mutilation is extremely complex. Why it happens? self mutilators tell me that it releases preasure better than any thing else it also gets them lots of lovely attention, attention they may not get elsewhere

True S.I's do it because emotional pain is far harder to process than physical pain..I say "true S.I's" becuase a lot of kids tend to do it cause it makes them feel cool (I have some nieces and nephews who go to school with kids like that)....I've been an S.I (Self Injurer) for pretty much most of my life (since I was 10 or 11 and I'm 36 now) and its a rough texas revolver to ride....and once you get into it, it becomes IMO hard to stop..especially when life throws you curveball after curveball ya know...this doesnt mean its not impossible to stop it can be done but its hard especially when you have been doin it for a long time..it just becomes a natural habit like putting one shoe on before the other ya know....As far as your friends daughter goes, IMO you need to (or rather the mum needs to) figure out whether or not its a "for show" thing or genuine mental issues....seriously...sounds harsh I know but there are kids out there that really do do it just for show...(boggles my mind)

I work for a lady that does this. She was sexually abused as a child. She says when the stress builds up that doing that is the only way she feels a release. She will sit and do this for hours. They have medicine out there that will help with this but it doesnt seem to help her. She just tries to find things to occupy her mind when this happens. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesnt. Your friend definately needs to seek medical help for her daughter.

This is a way to deal with problems. This girl definitely needs help...this is a horrible thing..and needs professional help....

i do nto understand it either.but i guess one can always take such a child to a good child psychologist.perhaps the links i have posted below may be of some help to you in your quest.perhaps it is all a cry for attention! http://wso.williams.edu/~atimofey/self_mutilation/ http://www.mirror-mirror.org/selfinj.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm

Yeah, it's quite grose. People who do it say they feel better afterwards.

she's probably depressed, something is going on in her life that she's trying to divert pain from her heart to something else. i'd say have the parents talk to her, maybe a therapist to get her open, but that won't always work. only if she's willing to talk.

I have heard from a friend that is makes your emotional pain physical and makes you feel alive. I've watched a lot of documentaries on this too as I'm concerned about it.