cutting – a rough guide to self-harm & surrounding issues.
‘cutting’ is a loose term that refers to Deliberate Self-Harm Syndrome, or Repetitive Self-Harm Syndrome. many sufferers refer to themselves as cutters, or use SI for self-injury – e.g. ‘I SI once a month’. the methods, area & seriousness of the injuries can vary incredibly; most common are cuts to the arms, wrists, neck, upper torso, with genital mutilation also common. cutting with nails, broken glass, knives, razors, blades, needles, nails, scissors, ceramics – indeed anything that can pierce skin, often the more painful the better. SI can also take the form of swallowing batteries so the acid burns internal organs, swallowing glass, razor blades, needles, banging one’s head against objects or punching things repeatedly. pulling out hair, scratching or biting until blood is drawn, and interfering with wound healing are also very common behavioural patterns. cutting is a coping mechanism, often favoured by those who find it difficult to express their
emotions.
cutting can take the form of compulsive self harm, such as skin picking or hair pulling (note – often amphetamine psychosis or abuse can have similar effects) or impulsive self harm (when occasional self harm becomes repetitive).
it is important to stress that cutters are not usually mentally ill, nor are they suicidal – although they believe that death is coming soon. however, obviously any person experimenting with self harm is endangering themselves & possibly their lives.
it is estimated that 1.9million Americans are ‘cutters’; other estimates say 750 out of every 100,000 harm themselves. the media has a role to play in these numbers; while obviously music & film influences are just that, outside influences, acts like marilyn manson & slipknot often seem to actively support self-harm; there is a higher number of cutters amongst heavy, dark musical fan bases, but this is often more to do with the imagery & appeal of the music, rather than the music itself. similarly, movies have dealt with cutting in different guises & are influential in varying degrees.
do cutters feel pain?
often not. 67% of participants in a 1986 survey reported feeling ‘no pain’ when cutting; the therapeutic effects & dopamine release are often more important than feeling anything. some people self-harm to feel alive, to feel anything, to feel numb, to ‘cut’ their pain away (catharsis), and sometimes to scar themselves. the lack of actual pain sometimes shows dissociation.
what can we do?
therapeutic responses to cutting are varied. often doctors and hospitals remain (unacceptably) scathing of cutters – they are handled roughly, only barely treated, or mocked. some have even reported wounds being stitched without anaesthetics (!!!) as some medical staff consider cutters less important or worthy patients as they have harmed themselves. it is important to recognise that self-harm is a serious condition, and that it requires attention NOT further disassociation or rejection.
psychotherapy, pharmacological responses (medicines) and interpersonal group behavioural therapy are suggested methods of treatment. hypnosis & relaxation techniques are also used; simple meditative efforts can help alleviate the need for physical injury.
‘cutting’ is a loose term that refers to Deliberate Self-Harm Syndrome, or Repetitive Self-Harm Syndrome. many sufferers refer to themselves as cutters, or use SI for self-injury – e.g. ‘I SI once a month’. the methods, area & seriousness of the injuries can vary incredibly; most common are cuts to the arms, wrists, neck, upper torso, with genital mutilation also common. cutting with nails, broken glass, knives, razors, blades, needles, nails, scissors, ceramics – indeed anything that can pierce skin, often the more painful the better. SI can also take the form of swallowing batteries so the acid burns internal organs, swallowing glass, razor blades, needles, banging one’s head against objects or punching things repeatedly. pulling out hair, scratching or biting until blood is drawn, and interfering with wound healing are also very common behavioural patterns. cutting is a coping mechanism, often favoured by those who find it difficult to express their
emotions.
cutting can take the form of compulsive self harm, such as skin picking or hair pulling (note – often amphetamine psychosis or abuse can have similar effects) or impulsive self harm (when occasional self harm becomes repetitive).
it is important to stress that cutters are not usually mentally ill, nor are they suicidal – although they believe that death is coming soon. however, obviously any person experimenting with self harm is endangering themselves & possibly their lives.
it is estimated that 1.9million Americans are ‘cutters’; other estimates say 750 out of every 100,000 harm themselves. the media has a role to play in these numbers; while obviously music & film influences are just that, outside influences, acts like marilyn manson & slipknot often seem to actively support self-harm; there is a higher number of cutters amongst heavy, dark musical fan bases, but this is often more to do with the imagery & appeal of the music, rather than the music itself. similarly, movies have dealt with cutting in different guises & are influential in varying degrees.
do cutters feel pain?
often not. 67% of participants in a 1986 survey reported feeling ‘no pain’ when cutting; the therapeutic effects & dopamine release are often more important than feeling anything. some people self-harm to feel alive, to feel anything, to feel numb, to ‘cut’ their pain away (catharsis), and sometimes to scar themselves. the lack of actual pain sometimes shows dissociation.
what can we do?
therapeutic responses to cutting are varied. often doctors and hospitals remain (unacceptably) scathing of cutters – they are handled roughly, only barely treated, or mocked. some have even reported wounds being stitched without anaesthetics (!!!) as some medical staff consider cutters less important or worthy patients as they have harmed themselves. it is important to recognise that self-harm is a serious condition, and that it requires attention NOT further disassociation or rejection.
psychotherapy, pharmacological responses (medicines) and interpersonal group behavioural therapy are suggested methods of treatment. hypnosis & relaxation techniques are also used; simple meditative efforts can help alleviate the need for physical injury.
