WTF?
I was friends with a guy in Elementary school who used a broken pencil sharpener to slash his forearm. He would do this in class. Our teacher either did not notice or did not care. He would then suck up the blood and smile. He encouraged others to do so, though he found few takers.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - jadester
i meant halfway as in you still get the pain but it's not so dangerous. If the pain is therapeutic, why does it have to be from self-inflicted cuts? Why would e.g. getting a huge tattoo done not suffice/ although i admit i hadn't thought of the cost factor. Plus the fact that you only have a limited amount of skin on which to get tattoos, and unless you go for a 5-year one, it'll last most or all of your life.
Anyway it was just an idea, because i don't know if anyone in that situation has ever considered such an alternative.
27 - HeyJude
Jadester,
I have thirteen peirceings and one tattoo, if I had more money I would have more, and yes the peircings at least were a good deferent for a little while, but peircings heal, so do tattoos, they were more a way of caring for myself than a release...
Smoking ciggarretes was a good deferant but my roomate forced me to stop, cause thats bad for you too.
28 - amber
i have started to cut when i was 12 im now 14 yrs i have several cuts or slashes on my arm i dont know why i do this i think it because my mom says im wothless and my dad beats me
29 - amber
i have started to cut when i was 12 im now 14 yrs i have several cuts or slashes on my arm i dont know why i do this i think it because my mom says im worthless and my dad beats me
30 - Eric Olsen
Amber, please get help - talk to someone you trust at school: teacher, counselor, etc.
31 - HeyJude509
"I hurt myself today to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real. - Johnny Cash (NIN)
I think that can really say something about why people may hurt themselves, I guess if you let is build up with no outlet than everything gets numb...
32 - nikki
im 15 and a week away from being a sophmore. ive cut since i was in 6th grade. i dont really think its bad to do and i hate always feeling sad but i cant stand it when im happy; its like im making myself be happy and smile. im seeing a teacher that is trying to help me but whenever he talks to me he makes me feel stupid and that i only want attention. I know that some people think "cutters" should find a half way but im not allowed to get tattoos or piercings....
33 - Megan
Eric Olsen, i know you told Amber to tell someone and get help but trust me, it isnt that easy. it isnt something you want people to know. people tell you that they wont judge you but you know they do. they talk to you like ur suicidal and shit. it sucks. people can tell you that its easy to stop and all you have to do it try, trust me they are stupid, it isnt that easy
34 - HeyHeyHey
Why don't all of you pathetic ass little
attention seeking fucksticks just go and
kill yourselves or shut the fuck up.
Nobody and I do mean NOBODY could give a shit about ya,you sorry fucking little
retards. Go tell a priest or a rabbi or
call the suicide hotline. This ain't the
crybaby anonymous site.
35 - jadester
yeah. That's exactly the attitude that's gonna do them good. honest.
36 - me
hey hey hey,
fuck you, burn in hell you little fucker. if you died everyone would fucking laugh, i dont see any of these people crying, do you! this site is for people who need to express their feelings. if you dont like it dont fucking visit it you fucking idiot!
37 - RJ Elliott
Quick question:
I posted this one over two months ago, and yet I still receive a new response from a new poster every few days.
Obviously, people are finding this post from a search engine. But that are the key words they are using?
I checked the obvious "self-mutilation" on Google, and came up with nothing on the first page.
Can anyone point me in the direction of where all this traffic is coming from?
Thanks in advance...
38 - Eric Olsen
I don't know but would guess it's keyed off the word "cutters."
Megan, I don't think it's "easy" but I think it's serious enough that you do what you have to do to stop. Self-destruction is never a positive, helpful, healthy or life-affirming thing to do. I know it's always easier from the outside, but I have four children of my own and would do whatever I could to help them - try trusting your parents would be my first recommendation. I would certainly want to know.
39 - Kudd45
Wow alot of people posted to this.
Ok here's the story.
I was once a "cutter", as it is called now, we didn't have a name for us back then. Most people who "cut", do not tell other people, they hide it as best they can. It is a shameful thing to do in most people's eyes who do it.
I was thinking quite clearly back when I as doing it, there is no rational reason for it releasing pain, but it does work wonders.I'm not advocating it in anyway i'm just saying it does release built up pressure for some reason.
It is not as dangerous as one may think either. Most people simply cut the top layers of skin. VERY few people actually mangle themselves up and cause any damage, save scars.
I stopped for the simple reason that it seemed to stupid to be doing. With no rational reason for it, why do it?
The world is not an extremly pleasant place for alot of people, so telling depressed teens it is won't help them for shit. Im older now and still see the world's sicknesses, and i don't run around telling the sad teens of the world that it will be alright.... maybe it won't be. As far as im concerned, if you don't see the sadness in the world your missing something. Pain is not a fixable problem, it is often a rational response to the environment that is the world.
40 - Eric Olsen
All of that may be perfectly tue, but what does tha have to do with slicing and dicing oneself? The notion that life is frought with pain is hardly novel: the Hindu and Buddhist traditions are founded on the "insight" that life is pain, however I am unaware of any serious school of thought that suggests self-mutilation is the path to transcendence.
41 - Kudd45
Sorry E.O.,
not trying to convey any brilliant idea here, or advocate it in any way.
Just thought i'd offer prospective from someone who was once in this position and no longer is.
And i wasn't suggesting it to be novel, i thought i clearly stated it was stupid (lazy-word), and not in the best interest of people, guess you missed that.
42 - bhw
There seem to be two types of "cutters" in the world. Those that dabble in it as a way of releasing some sort of pain [the cynic in me is having a HARD time not going off on them] and those that suffer from a compulsion to cut themselves. The former seems to be yet another angst-ridden fad of youth [if you can stop on a dime, you probably WERE doing it for attention -- whoops, the cynic slipped out!], while the latter is a symptom of real mental illness.
43 - Eric Olsen
Kudd, not trying to single you out or give you a hard time, sorry, and very glad you were able to reason your way out of it, just very concerned about these kids and don't want to give them any "excuse."
44 - Shark
Apropos of nada:
Abusing yourself for cash: does that make you a professional?
When I was in Junior High, there was a little 'game' where you had to wrap a dollar bill around your forearm and burn a hole through it with a cigarette. If the hole appeared before you screamed in pain, you got the dollar.
...which, of course, no one ever did.
But there were more than a few morons walking around school with multiple little circular burn scars on their arms.
(Too bad we couldn't have had a game where you try to retrieve a dollar bill from a spinning airplane propeller. There might be less urban sprawl in my area.)
45 - jadester
but there are different reasons why people may choose to endure pain. For example, look at professional fighters - undoubtedly some of them enjoy feeling pain but others simply put up with it because the importance of their ambition to them is greater than that of the pain. Or for other reasons. And so on.
I would certainly say self-harm is one of those many human problems that does not have a simple, catch-all answer.
46 - bhw
"Real" cutters don't choose to endure pain. They have a compulsion to do it, and they need lots and lots of professional help to learn to fight that compulsion and stop hurting themselves.
Now, Shark's buddies might just have needed the money. He's alluded to his relative age before, so I can only imagine how much a dollar could buy back in his day. ;-)
47 - alaina
i have a question.i started cutting myself with razorblades i popped out of my moms razor. i would cut myself but i wouldnt bleed it was more like a glorified paper cut.other times i would use safety pins and scratch at myself but again i wouldnt bleed.am i considered a self mutilater even though i dont do severe cutting?
48 - Eric Olsen
Just stop doing it and you won't have to worry about it.
49 - Bob A. Booey
"The first cut is the deepest ..."
Oh, sorry. I thought this was the Sheryl Crow thread. My mistake.
No, seriously though, cutting is a sign of severe emotional trauma and usually severe physical or sexual abuse. It's not as simple as saying "don't do it" because these kids resort to such a primitive means of letting out their pain because they feel such profound pain in their lives. They need immediate counseling and support. It's partly a cry for help, but much more than that and not as easy to dismiss.
And even more seriously, I saw Sheryl Crow in the check-in line at the United Terminal at LAX recently. I saw her from the back first and I was like "that short chick has on OK ass" and then she was being scanned over by the security folks (happens often to any even remotely hot woman) and I was like "oh, but her face is a little past her prime." I decided it wasn't worth the effort. And then I was all, "wait a minute ... that's Sheryl Crow." Moral of the story, my little cutters, is that even though she's past her prime, I'd probably still throw her a bang because of who she is. But then she probably has Kid Rock STDs, which means maybe Pam Anderson hep as well. Know what I'm sayin?
You old folks gotta know how to talk to the youth. See this comment as an example on how to represent.
Peace.
50 - RJ Elliott
ROTFL...
51 - nikki
ive counted the scars on my arms and legs and i have about 27 of them... some of them are really bad! im getting a lot better at not cutting but recently i did a cut that was about 1/4 inch deep... it was crazy! my moms been asking me why i always were long sleeves in summer...like im gunna tell her the trush...yeah right!... i have a pretty good life and my brother and sister are always happy. if my parents found out they would blam themselfs. i dont wants that... plus they cant spare the money to send me to get help...
52 - nikki
i got hit in the arm the other day and a few of my scars.. in cluding a really bad one from a pretty bad cut... turned black...the skin inbetween didnt bruse, just some of the scars... is that normal? plus even before the big scar brused it always hurt... is that normal?
some one please answer to this...
53 - Eric Olsen
Nikki, please go to your parents and then the doctor and address this issue directly - your parents must know and you aren't doing them or yourself any favors by keeping it secret. Seriously.
54 - TDavid
This is a really creepy thread. Eric, you were wondering about why BC might be filtered by some workplaces and this thread is full of stuff that would throw a filtering program into a frenzy.
55 - nikki
eric olsen,
it isnt as easy as just telling ur parents..... its too scary! plus to add to it my mom works at a place where they help people like ... well like me, or sick in the head, and stuff like that. she always says how lucky and greatful her and my dad are for having kids that they have....ones that they think are always happy and stuff...
56 - Megan
R J Elliot
what does ROTFL... mean?
57 - RJ Elliott
Roy Orbison taught Frank little...
58 - David
Rolling On The Floor Laughing
59 - Mark Saleski
Republicans Ordinarily Treat Flatulence Libidinally?
60 - David
ROTFL at Pam Anderson because she's old enough to know better. However she was Canadian until recently.
61 - David
ROTFL in the USA ROTFL in the USA eh hey, Rock'n the USA. An old John Cougar song.
62 - David
Maybe this will cheer you up:
Q: What is the difference between Al Franken and a refrigerator ?
A: A refrigerator doesn't fart when you pull the meat out! LOL, ROTFL!
63 - Stately Wayne Manor
RE: Comment #57. Is this some kind of a veiled reference to Mr.Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet???
64 - Eric Olsen
TDavid, I can see that!
Nikki, I didn't say it was easy, I just said you have to do it. They'll still love you and the longer you wait, the harder it will be. Please trust them and tell them.
Stately Wayne, good one.
65 - squid
joke...
a blond goes into work in tears one day. her boss asks her whats wrong. she replys "i just received a phone call that my mother died today". her boss then pats her on the back and tells her to go home and try and feel better. the blond tells him that she would rather stay at work and keep her mind off the matter. her boss says okay and tells her he'll check on her later. 20 minutes later he walks into her office to see her in tears. he runs to her side and asks her whats wrong. she looks up and him, tears streaming down her face and replys "i just got a call from my sister, HER mother died today too!"
66 - nikki
not to sound rude but what would i say? "hey mom, i use to cut myself. im a lot better at not doing it now but i cant wear short sleeve shirts or shorts because some of the scars are so bad. oh that the ones that are black are because i got hit in the arm and they wont change back color."?
do you know any thing i can do to make the scars fade away? im going to Mexico in a week and i cant wear short sleeve shirts.. i dont know what to do!
67 - Ms. Tek
depends on the kinds of scars they are. A dermatologist can be very helpful but there are some over the counter lotions that can help with healing old scars. They won't make them go away but they may help them look a little bit better.
Be well.
~Tekkie~
68 - nikki
eric
i told my parents. i wish i hadnt. they went physco on me! i feel like shit right now! theyre putting me in therapy. and they are giving me a drug and alcohol test, which is stupid cause ill pass them!
i wish i felt better right now but life sucks for me at this point!
69 - Eric Olsen
Nikki, you did the right thing - of course they're upset, but they will get over that and be glad you told them. Also, even though you are upset that they are upset, deep down you know you did the right thing and now you can move in a positive direction. At some level you know you are relieved.
YOu did the right thing - I am proud of you. Give your parents a little time. Best of luck to you and them.
70 - Bob A. Booey
Nikki,
Your parents are probably scared, but I'm sure you are a lil bit too. That's why they're suspicious about drugs and alcohol, since they don't know all that you've probably been through. Keep in mind they're doing the best they can to help you even if they don't always understand the specifics of your situation.
The therapist will be able to help you deal with all the pain you've felt in your life. Work through all that stuff and get better. Don't worry about money or what anyone else thinks; just do what you need to do to make your life happier and so you can feel better about yourself. You say you have a pretty good life, so I'm sure you'll be able to do that if you work at it. Plus, the things you talk to your therapist about will almost always be confidential, so don't worry about your parents freaking out about your thoughts and feelings. Just open up to your therapist and trust the people that can help you.
There are lots of things worth living for, like Mexico :)
I lost some of these comments amidst all the bad jokes and didn't see this again until now, but good job handling it for the people who responded responsibly.
Good luck, Nikki.
71 - nikki
k i think that my parents are taking it crazy! they are making me go to a psychiatrist cause they think that i need medication too. they tore my room appart looking for n e thing bad, they make me sleep in their room with them at night, from now on i have to wear shorts and t-shirts, i cant listen to n e music other than christian cause it might be a bad influence, they called all my friends parents and made my show them all my arms and legs so they would check over thier kids and see if they were doing it (now that was none of my parents freaking business right there!), they wont let me shave in the shower unless its infont of them, i have to quit my job, hmm n e thing else? theres so many things its hard to remember them all *eye roll*....
Bob A. Booey, thank you for helping to support me! i really appreciate it more then you know!
Eric Olsen, thank you so much for helping me through this for so long! that was a HUGE help and a big encouragement. thank you so much!
72 - Eric Olsen
I know it all seems like it sucks right now, but you did the right thing, your parents will come to trust you again, and you all will be much better off because you told them. Like I said, I am proud of you and very relieved you are moving in the right direction.
You did it yourself, we didn't do anything but encourage you. Thank YOU.
73 - you dont UNDERSTAND
Some of you are pathetic, misundertood and close minded. How can you possibly be able to commeny openly on how incredibly sick it is for one to cut themselves, when you can't even start to put yourself into their situation?!
I myself have been a self-injurer/self-mutilator/cutter/burner/skin picker for over 2 years. I began hurting myself as i have had a hard life and i can't control my emotions, so i hurt myself physically to cope with the emotional pain.
It is not suicidal in the least. I hurt myself as do others, as a way of NOT commiting suicide! This is a coping mechanism, it is the wrong way of coping but its ours.
Now at the age of 18, I have been diagnosed with depression, SIB, and other mental disorders that contribute to my behaviour. I've been put on miltiple SSRI's and ave been getting psychotherapy. It's helped bit my road to recovery isn't instant, its going to be greulling and emotionally draining.
I really hope some of you open your eyes to the possibilities of why people do this. It is not a sick behaviour that should be ignored and looked down on rather it should be awknowledged and understood.
74 - nikki
eric,
i have a friend that might be pregnant. if she is then she is going to take off to california and not tell anyone. she asked me to go with her.... i know your going to tell me "dont go, it isnt the right thing to do, your jsut having a tough time with your parents right now but trust me, it does get better" but if my friend is pregnant no matter what i am leaving with her.....i mean how bad could it be?..... right?¿
75 - Eric Olsen
Nikki, you know the answer: don't mess up your own life just because your friend intends to. She should find out if she is or if she isn't, tell her parents, decide what to do about it with them, and go from there. What can possibly be gained by two young girls without an education, no employable skills, and one of them pregnant going to California? It makes no sense whatsoever.
Running away helps nothing and just delays the inevitable. You know all this.