Self Mutilation

i don't know about others, but i've heard some beggars here do that. it is to simply catch the attention, and most probably, get some alms from passers by who'd be pitiful enough. what they do is mutilate, usually their skin from their hips, then show it off to passers by.

I believe it's about "relief" and "coping". Look here: http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html

People do not only inflict pain on themselves to get attention. Most of these people cannot handle their emotions the way others do. Self-mutilation is just one of the coping methods used by those who experience overwhelming feelings such as depression, sadness, guilt and pain but it's destructive one. They intend to externalize emotional pain into physical pain, something which they deem to be more manageable.

I went through a period when I was a teenager when I did some pretty dumb stuff. At one point I carved my initals into my arm with a rusty railroad spike I found. Don't ask me why. You can still faintly see them. !!HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~

Yeah, I knew one. We were friends/classmate from college then and he tried to pursue me. He got really disappointed when I declined him. He showed up in one our classes one time having this scars in his palm. I've learned from our friends that he got his palm slahed with blade. That was indeed pretty annoying.That ends up our friendship. I've heard stories like this aside from that friend-suitor of mine. I know there are factors that contribute this kind of behavior. And I believe one of this factor that drives a human mind to do such act is disappointment or frustration in life.

No. Most people who cut themselves does it as a coping skill. There is only a small amount of people who harm themselves for attention.