Just started cutting

[Hilgee365]

S I just started cutting like yesterday or the day before. I don't really know if u could call it cutting, I take a needle and just rush it across my thigh really dash to make a scratch deep enough to bleed. Then it just stings for the longest time afterward. somebody please help....? I don't really know what I want/need or am looking for here, but surely someone can empathize with me?

[xxprincessxx]

Hey,

This would still be considered cutting, which is obviously not a good way of coping with this and if you keep this up it could eventually get worse. This is how I started out as well, so I know from personal experience. My suggestion is to stop while you're ahead, cutting can become very addictive and it's not healthy at all. Please, find another way to cope, we have a whole list of alternatives in the sticky's above.

Do you know why you cut yourself? Getting to the root cause of this issue is what helps one overcome it, once you start opening up and letting somebody help and support you through this, things usually become easier! I think it would be great if you talked to somebody about all of this and what you are going through, for instance a friend, family member, school counselor, teacher, etc! Somebody that you trust with things!

I really hope things start looking up for you! If you ever need somebody to talk to, feel free to sned me a PM!

[Storyteller.]

Hey there. Welcome to TeenHelp, by the way.

I'm sorry to hear that things aren't so great right now. What you're doing does count as self harm (for more information, click here), so I think it's good you reached out to us here before things got worse. I know asking for help is probably not much fun, but it can really make a difference.

As Sammie said, knowing why you hurt yourself is very important when it comes to quitting. Self harm is, in my opinion, often a way to distract or distance yourself from some emotional pain or turmoil, so finding out what that is can help you figure out how to deal with it more effectively. The alternatives she mentioned can be found here, and I highly recommend them. Just keep trying them until you find a few that work for you.

Also, talking to someone can help you get back on the right track. There are so many people you can talk to (a list - although it's by no means comprehensive - can be found here), and having a support system in place can help you get through this rough patch more quickly and easily.

Take care.

[RazorsAndRosary]

Can I ask if anything has changed in your life recently? If so, you should probably try and figure out what it is about that, that causes to you self harm. If not, is there anything that may have happened in the past that may just be resurfacing? My advice is to throw away or hide the needle, and don't look for any other sharp objects that could hurt you. If you're unable to stop, as many are, you should try and find the trigger. What feelings do you have before you cut? If you need someone to talk to you can pm me or email me, good luck, I hope you manage to refrain from hurting yourself again.

[VermillionKitsune]

I'm going to have to agree with the few people on here who have said that what you're doing could/would be considered cutting or at the very least self-harm. It began for me in a similar way, I started poking my fingertips with the glass of a broken Christmas ornament to make them bleed, and it progressed to very deep cutting all over my body. I don't know you at all, but I will admit that for me at least, this behavior very quickly became addictive, and I started using it almost immediately as a crutch for any negative situations I had to go through, or even just mildly bad feelings.

Like the other responses I read, I am curious if anything has changed recently for you, or if you've been noticing a progression over time of feelings that have even an echo of making you want to do this. I'm glad that you yourself are seeking out answers as to why you might be deciding to do these things, and I wish I could be of more help, but honestly, I still have no idea why I had begun to do it myself.

I agree that in the years to follow, I can recognize in myself that it has been a way to numb myself to situations or as a way to relieve myself or intense emotions. Like any other addictive behavior, maybe it would be easier to quit in the beginning, but honestly, I'm unsure.

I can definitely empathize with you for sure, though, you're not alone in that, and I as well, would be willing to help you explore what you're going through and you have my full support. Self-harm isn't something I would wish upon anyone, and I hope you can find your way through this.

-Suki