A: Self-Injury is not something people talk about very often. It is the act of harming oneself willing. However, it is estimated that for 2-3 MILLION Americans it is a serious problem. The 'cutter' may cut themselves with a knife, a razor, or burn themselves with a cigarate, or candle flames.
Q: Are 'cutters' suicial?
A: Cutters are not usally suicial, but they do harm themeselves intionally, in respone to stress or trama. They are not sick, or insane for that matter; they just never learned how to cope with stress. But coping skills can be learned at anytime in life.
Q: What is the most common type of Self-Injury?
A: Cutting is the most common type of self injruy. 'Cutters' often use razors, knifes, pins, needles, glass, or whatever they can find to make repetitive slices on their arms and legs. Self-Injury is usally kept secret, and may feel shame because of the ritiual.
Q: Why do people Self-Injure?
A: The reason people self-injure is not totally understood, professionals do not completely understand it.
Some common reason why people cut themeselves:
They find it Soothing:
-To feel pain on the outside instead of the inside
-To cope with feelings
-To express anger towards themeselves
-To feel real and alive.
A way for communicating what they can't say with words:
-To tell people they need 3/4 helps
-To get peoples atteintion
-To tell that they should be in the hospital
An attempt to get people to react to their reactions:
-To get people to care for them
-To drive people away
-To make other people feel guilty
-To get away from stress and responibilty
-To manpuliate situations or people.
Q: What could trigger people to cut?
A: Many reason may trigger a person to injure themselves:
-Being rejected by someone who is important to them
-Being blamed for somethign which they had no control over
-Feeling inadquate
-Being "wrong" in some way
Q: How do people stop cutting/injuring?
A: People who self-injure can learn to use new and healthier coping mechanisms. The process may take years to develop.
If you have any question you would like added to the FAQ E-mail us at [email protected]
~Abby