Self harm.

[Raining_again]

I suppose theoretically I would have.

 

My psoriasis used to make me so depressed and angry that I did basically tear my skin apart, purposely scratching it til it bled because the itching was worthy of sending you to a mental clinic. I was about 60/70% covered at the time, and in a horribly bad place.

 

It got to a point where it was so numb I didn't even realise I was bleeding 'til it was dripping on the floor.. and I used to have to bandage my poor arms so I didn't tear my skin to shreds while I slept.

 

Skin conditions (especially severe ones) are SO OFTEN underestimated.

[ReZourceman]

Not at all. I believe anything can be funny. It wasn't the jokes I didn't like. It was the attitude of some people that seemed a bit harsh.

 

 

I believe anything can be funny.

 

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

I said can. You've yet to prove it. I kid. I love you, really.

[Guy]

All in all, if you're cutting you really need to talk to someone or at least find another way to express your angst. Postsecret your cares away, maybe? I dunno. Sometimes a simple perspective shift is all it takes to turn a frown into a smile! Positivity!

 

Turn the batteries around, kids.

[Jimbob]

I've been waiting to post this for a while, guess the thread just cropped up for it.

 

 

In all seriousness now, i have known someone to self-harm. In actuallity, i did try to help her stop. It took many weeks/months of trying and you know what..........

Yeah, i failed

 

It annoyed me, because she could have done something with her life if she tried (she's not dead btw, well not as far as i know anyway). But she resorted to self-harm to solve her problems instead of talking about them to others to see if anyone could help.

[jayseven]

Glad Ville took this thread seriously.

 

Self-harm can be 'a cry for help' - but that term can be grossly misleading. The individual may not be consciously going "hey look at me, gimme some love!" rather they have to turn to self-harm as a means to find some element of control in their lives. Teens are known for turning blades to themselves, but in most cases with young women who have image issues the main scarring areas are the thighs and other places which will be out of sight, which surely negates any such attentive seeking.

 

One girl I knew cut herself because her mother was suicidal. She self-harmed because of guilt, primarily. Another girl did it because she was pretty, thinking she didn't deserve to have her life 'easy' and 'punished' herself.

 

I've stubbed a few cigarettes out on myself when I was a bit younger. I couldn't tell you precisely why, but the twisted logic was something along the lines of why is it always out of my control? If my life is going to be fucked up then why can't it be up to me? I've only cut myself twice, both times very small cuts and mostly just to see what it would do. Self-harm doesn't have to be associated with suicidal tendancies, again hence the tag-line of "cry for help" -- the individual is lost, confused, or overwhelmed.

 

I know people who have run into walls, or who would literally beat themselves up. There's some fucked-up thoughts going on, but the processes that drive people to do these things are, for me anyway, very worthy of empathy.

 

I was depressed for a while and my method of self-harm was sleep deprivation/alcohol abuse. Escapism to an extreme. Eating disorders fall under the same spectrum as self-halm but can be very deeply rooted in a smattering of causes and catalysts.

 

Etc.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Thank you, jayseven.

[Caris]

I self harm, I beat my penis every night.

[ReZourceman]

I self harm, I beat my penis every night.

 

Until you make it cry?

[MoogleViper]

I think only Moogle got my joke.

 

Or was the only one who found it funny anyway...

 

I thought it was one of the funniest I've read in a while.

 

Took me a moment after clicking the link as well.

[EEVILMURRAY]

I've only cut myself twice, both times very small cuts and mostly just to see what it would do.

How did you find it?

[nekunando]

I actually remember my cousin showing us her arm one day on the bus home from school about 7 or 8 years ago and there were dozens of lines all the way up.. thankfully, not particularly deep

 

She never seemed depressed or anything.. and when she brought the razor blade out of her blazer pocket that she did it all with, it was clear that she was only doing it because she somehow thought it was cool.. which is kinda sad

[Caris]

 

Until you make it cry?

 

It bursts into tears.

[Gizmo]

I've punched a few walls and fences in frustration after one too many drinks, and I have looked at a knife a few times and wondered "I wonder what would happen if", but ultimately I'm too much of a pussy to actually do it properly. And ultimately, I don't actually have any real problems.

[Rummy]

Yeah, they're not all scum of the earth, but they're also not all saints either. I hate the fucking false dichotomy, and I also think this thread is stupid.

[Ellmeister]

I know a girl who did it on her legs. She wore short shorts one day and you could clearly see it. (Was at V festival last year actually, what a coincidence). Also that she didn't shave her legs. Not sure what was worst to be honest.

 

 

I also heard about a cannibal who loved to cut himself, he was literally full of himself.

 

 

 

 

------------------

Spambot, if its personally affecting you feel free to talk to us, we may jest but I'm sure people wouldn't hesitate to help.

[Jon]

I, too, think the jokes are a bit harsh. Not that I think there are things you can't make fun of, but the jokes posted seem to express a lack of understanding for the people involved. Not everyone is mentally strong, and you certainly have to be to cope with the things life throw at you sometimes.

 

Personally, even though I have experienced periods of sadness (I won't call it depression, that's too heavy a term), I've never felt the need to self-harm. That's just not an option in my mind. I'll rather deal with my issues and attempt to solve my problems. I don't think transferring the focus from mental to physical pain would work for me, anyway.

 

 

It's nothing to do with a lack of understanding, we as people all go through bad times and have terrible things happen to us that don't seem fair. I suppose it's down to your mental fortitude, whether you feel the need to carve yourself like a butcher.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

It's nothing to do with a lack of understanding, we as people all go through bad times and have terrible things happen to us that don't seem fair. I suppose it's down to your mental fortitude, whether you feel the need to carve yourself like a butcher.

Exactly, and that's why I thought the tone was a bit harsh. Just because people don't have a strong mental fortitude, it doesn't mean we should think less of them.

[Ville]

I'm not disputing people deal with certain things in different ways. I just think they're cowards. Like you said it's a distraction.

 

Well, I don't prefer calling people "cowards" or "pussies", since we all are cowards, just in regard to different things...Also, it can be tricky to differentiate between cowardice and weakness...not all people possess enough strength to tackle their problems head-on, hence such coping mechanisms like cutting yourself...

 

Exactly, and that's why I thought the tone was a bit harsh. Just because people don't have a strong mental fortitude, it doesn't mean we should think less of them.

 

Indeed...

[nightwolf]

I've been avoiding this thread, at first I thought it was abit OTT, self-harm doesn't seem like the subject to be disucssing here, but with a few inputs and less jokes, it seems it's been able to balance itself; as much as a self-harm topic can.

 

I've never self-harmed, I am for the most part very into self-preservation, that includes hurting myself in any form. I've known a few people to, my last housemate did, she was incredibly proud of them, which was the strangest and most fascinating mind set I've ever seen. She didn't do them for attention, she just genuinely began to like the scars and I think eventually if she hadn't stopped herself from doing it as much she'd destroy herself.

 

Really for her, it's similar to as Jayseven mentioned, the idea of control and finding it or not.

 

It's a shame, because people who do need help in this subject so very often get ignored/dismissed because of the mind set of it being done by attention seeking idiots.