Addiction?

[acting101]

((I wasn't sure whether to put this in the addiction fourm or this one, move it if it's wrong.))

Can self-harm be considered and addiction?
I scratch my arms and burn my skin.
As a New Year's resolution, I'm going to stop.
Thought my friend thinks I did months ago...

I get urges all the time.
And, today I threw the little belt things I'd scratch myself with out.
But I'm still trying to part with the lighter.
Whenever I'm sad, I keep thinking about hurting myself.
And in everyday activity, I look for things that can cut my skin easily.

So yeah, can SH be considered an addiction?

[VoodooGirl]

Yeah, it can. Anything really can be considered addicting. If your addicted to cutting, if you feel the need to do it or depend on it it's an addiction.

It's great that you want to stop, congratulations!

Im going through the same thing. I have to throw out my tools soon too. Part with the lighter, just throw it out somewhere you know you can't go back to get it. It's alot harder than it sounds, I know, but you have to do it. I believe in you

When your thinking of hurting yourself how about trying the alternatives?

Wishing you luck

[Ellie]

Yeah Lily, I'd definitely say that SH can be considered an addiction and I think that's another reason why it's so difficult to stop. But just because it's hard to stop and it can be addicting doesn't mean that it's impossible - it just means that it's something that you need support with. I think it's great that you've made the decision to stop and that you've taken steps to getting rid of your tools. Both of those things take such a lot of strength to do.

You know you said that your friend thinks that you have already stopped, how would you feel about telling them that you haven't? Like I said, I think it's so important to have help and support when you're trying to stop and the support of your friend could really benefit you. Remember that we're all here for you as well. You're not fighting this alone.

[cryingangel]

SH is an addicition
however you are doing good by the sounds of it you have acknowledged u have a problem and you are trying to change and throwing the stuff you use out is a brilliant place to start
you should be proud of yourself and if u ever want to talk i always around somewhere

[Crescendo]

I think this is a very interesting question.

In the United States "Substance Dependence" such as addiction to alcohol or drugs is defined by meeting any 3 of the following 7 criteria at one time or another during a 12 month (1 year) period of time.:

I'm going to bold the criteria I feel that can occur with cutting. and italicize and change the color of my opinion of why that criteria can occur with cutting.

1. Tolerance or markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of substance
   This criteria can be seen in cutting when a person needs to cut more or deeper each "episode" of cutting to achieve the same amount of relief as the first time they cut
2. Withdrawal symptoms or the use of certain substances to avoid withdrawal symptoms
3. Use of a substance in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
   This criteria can be seen in cutting when someone cuts more cuts/deeper cuts at one time than they planned, or continued regularly cutting for a longer period of time than they had planned.
   
4. persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use
   This criteria can be seen in cutting when people who cut want to/try to stop but are unable to reduce or stop cutting.
   
5. Involvement in chronic behavior to obtain the substance, use the substance, or recover from its effects
6. Reduction or abandonment of social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use
   This criteria can be seen in cutting when people who cut avoid certain people or situations because they cut. (such as avoiding wearing short sleeves/swimming after cutting so people do not see the scars)
   
7. Use of substances even though there is a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance

This criteria can be seen in cutting when someone continues to cut even after they have medical complications when they cut, such as passing out from blood loss or infection.

In my opinion Cutters can experience 5 of the 7 same signs of dependency substance abusers can, and since you only need to display 3 of the criteria during a year to be considered "dependent" I believe cutting can be considered an addiction.

Many people believe cutting can activate the pleasure centers in the brain- providing a temporary high. Although I do not believe this is commonly done- some psychiatrists prescribe Opiate Antagonists (medication which is sometimes prescribed to recovering heroin addicts to help them stay clean by blocking opiates from stimulating the receptors ) to long term cutters because it is believed it will decrease the high associated with cutting, therefore making it easier to stop cutting. I personally was on Naltrexone for several months to try to help me stop cutting, and didn't feel it made much of a difference other than upsetting my stomach.

If I were to measure my dependency on cutting based on the criteria above, i would have to say YES, I am absolutely addicted to cutting. I have dependency symptoms 1,3,4 and 6. I sometimes build up a tolerance to cutting and need to cut more and more, i tell myself i will only cut a certain number of times and then cut more than that, I've tried to quit many times and "relapsed", i wear long sleeves and don't swim to avoid people seeing healing cuts.

I tell myself I don't need to cut, and then I go and do it anyway. :confused:

does anyone else have thoughts about this?

Megan

[acting101]

Originally Posted by Ellie

You know you said that your friend thinks that you have already stopped, how would you feel about telling them that you haven't?

I would tell him... I have been meaning to, but I don't really know how to.
He said before that he would "kick my ass" if I did it again... which I did... and I don't know if he was serious or not. He's not that kind of guy though, so I'm pretty sure he won't do anything, but... I'm still worried.