Who says cutting's the only way?

[MeggieMoo1995]

Who says cutting's the only way to hurt yourself? I know it's the most used, not to mention the most heard of method, but that doesn't mean it's the only way.

When I was younger, I wasn't allowed to show any emotions. When they yelled and screamed and locked me in my room, I'd bite myself so hard there would be bruises for a few days after, and I'd scratch my arms with my fingernails because I didn't know how else I could show what I was feeling.
When I got older, starting probably at the beginning of middle school, I'd hit myself and bang my head on lockers. I'd smack my knees and elbows against brick walls because it felt good.
Then, at the end of middle school/start of high school, I started cutting. It made me feel better, even if only for a few seconds.

But now I'm at the end of my rope here. I haven't cut in a while, and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon, but nobody really cares about any of the other stuff anyways. They're just like 'uh huh, yeah, yep, whatever'. As long as I don't cause any permanent damage to my body, it's all good.

Right?

[Utterly_Alone]

No, it isn't good 'as long as there's no permanent damage' because there's still the memory that you even did it. You should look more closely at your signature... If nobody believes in you, at least you believe in yourself. If other people don't care, then that's their problem and they can deal with their own jadededness. I used to Self-Harm too and it was always good for those few seconds that I felt the pain, but then the emotion would always come right back. Self-harm won't solve anything. It only gives false hope and eventually downfall.
It's like doing drugs or drinking... everything's okay for those few minutes, but it all comes back eventually. And it tends to make things bad for others. You can't hide from it, so you have to confront it eventually. Confront it and then leave it behind because it's in the past. Your actions effect not only you, but other people, too. Someone could see that you're hurt and become depressed... and then their friends become depressed because they don't why they're upset and on and on.
Hold your head up, girl.
PM me if you want to talk more about it.

[Blair]

It's not about HOW you SI. It's about WHY you SI. The problem isn't the injury so much as the fact that you injure yourself as a coping mechanism. Sure, there's more physical danger in some SI methods than others, but the psychological aspect is just as real and just as dangerous. It's serious stuff whether or not the physical damage is permanent. It's an addiction. Having a pain addiction is nothing for people to shrug off. I'm sorry that people are being so ignorant and insensitive. They just don't understand the pain behind your actions. They only see the visible physical results. I'm sure if you talked to a counselor or even another adult they'd be more understanding.

[LittleFish]

Yeah, it's definitely not the only way. A lot of people self-harm without even realizing it when they're children to cope with feelings. I used to try to break my wrists and ankles when I was upset, and occasionally I would smack my head on things and jump off the high playground equipment.

[facade]

Cutting is most definitly NOT the only for of SH.
But it is the most known form of it.
Here is a short list of things that would be considered SH...

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f12-s...499-self-harm/

But keep in mind that there are many more...

[MadPoet]

Hey Megan.

I can understand how you're feeling. I used to think there was nothing wrong with cutting, and actually posted a thread or two on this site asking what was so wrong with it. But I've been through a lot since then, and I think I finally learned what was so wrong with it when I was admitted to the hospital recently.

When I was there I kind of had a realization that I really have some problems. And those problems aren't being resolved by cutting or any other form of self harm. Even if it seems like it, you're not solving any problems when you self harm.

I think the question you need to ask yourself is, am I happy when I self harm? I don't mean WHILE you're self harming, but say an hour later. Do you feel like you've resolved anything? Do you feel like you've worked through your emotions? Do you feel like you've made progress through hurting yourself? I highly doubt your answer will be yes.

You can self harm for years, and you'll still feel depressed. Self harming isn't going to solve any of your problems. But, believe it or not, there are other alternatives that will solve your problems. You need to work towards helping yourself, not continuing to hold yourself back.

There are so many helpful ways to express your emotions. Try writing about how you feel, writing poems, writing in a journal. Even if they aren't exactly works of art, they're far more helpful and better for you than self harm is.

Better yet, try talking to someone about how you feel. Call up a friend or speak with a family member when you feel like self harming. Talking through your emotions is extremely beneficial and will probably make you feel a lot better.

I'm here if you ever need to talk. Remember that you don't deserve to be cut, scratched, bruised, or hurt in any way. You need to move forward, not back further.