Why do people self harm?

[Soulless_Angel]

To punish myself, to soothe the anger at events and situations I cannot control, to feel pain in a physical over mental sense, because ripping my arms is a lot less painful then whats in my mind.
To scratch an itch that just gets to me, the list is endless, I have no regrets on the scars on my arms,

 

[livingded]

I get too emotional and I dont know how to handle it. I suffer from BPD (=borderline personality disorder) it's a common reason for people with it

 

[greekyfish10]

it feels really good. i like the pain and sometimes i just need to feel something. sometimes i'm not sure i really want to ctb. so i cut myself and this sounds weird but i like seeing the blood on me. it's like i'm controlling something in my life.

 

[Deleted member 18655]

I just started a few months ago. The first time it happened I was so overcome with feelings of loneliness, fear and abandonment - like a child and I couldn't get rid of them using the normal methods. It was like auto-pilot: I went to the bathroom with a safety pin and carved words into my chest and stomach. The stinging was so strong that I forgot abou the emotions. Months later, I've switched to an exacto knife blade. I'm drawing blook ever so slightly but the words are even clearer and the pain is stronger. It's twisted but it works.

 

[Aeathelina]

Punishment. To hurt myself because I believe it deserve it for whatever has pushed me to that point.

 

[I_love_to_bake]

My scars are heinous and bold... been meaning to get them covered for a while. I wonder if anyone here has had sucess in covering up scars with a tattoo?

Much love to everyone in this thread struggling.

 

[Nymph]

When my brain is filled with negative emotions I cut so it makes me focus on this one specific thing and it makes me feel relieved. When the blood drips down it feels as if the negativity is leaving me. OR when on the other hand I don't feel any emotions and I feel completely empty. I cut so I get at least some emotions. It's just how I coped with things for some time

 

[Living_Hurts_so_Much]

Why do people self harm? I've never understood why people self harm. If you kill yourself, then that ends the suffering, so that's understandable and obviously can be a good thing. Self harming just for the sake of harming yourself though, doesn't that just increase the suffering?

I never understood the need until 2 days ago. I just wanted to. I cut (not deep) my wrist. Chest. Stomach. And leg. It was kind of a rush. I can't really explain it better I'm sorry. But very liberating almost.

 

[so tired or manic]

Question: for those that enjoy the pain/release of self harm, could this be compared to the pleasure someone who enjoys being on the receiving end of BDSM gets...?
Note that this enjoyment is frequently NOT sexual, despite the context.

Having enjoyed both it's a different sensation. the main difference being cutting yourself is about the control behind the knife and bdsm is about taking the control away until the safe words gets said.

 

[oneanonymous]

I used to burn my arms when I was a teenager. It's simply from a lack of proper coping mechanisms, especially when your emotions just feel so out of your control. I didn't do it often and I only have one small scar from it now, so they weren't severe. I did it when I was really upset and so angry that I was close to destroying things in my room. I had a really bad anger problem when I was younger. Luckily, I've grown out of it. Whenever I calmed down, I would be so upset with myself because I had destroyed something of mine. Being a teenage goth and all, I was well aware of how people would cut themselves to relieve pain. So I decided to give it a try and yeah, it actually did work. It really did help calm me down and because of that, made me feel better. It was never about attention for me either, since I never told anyone I did this and no one ever found out because I hid the minor injuries. Although I do know some people definitely do it for attention, but even these people need help. I think most people are prone not to take it seriously because "they're just looking for attention". While this may be true, If someone is hurting themselves just for attention then something is wrong and they still deserve help. But yeah, I did it because it made me feel better in the moment. My anger could really get out of control and it was such a horrible feeling, and burning myself alleviated that. Sometimes even now, I'll still dig my fingernails into my skin when I get angry without even really thinking about it, but I'm not really prone to anger much anymore.

 

[SoIntoYou]

Why do people self harm? I've never understood why people self harm. If you kill yourself, then that ends the suffering, so that's understandable and obviously can be a good thing. Self harming just for the sake of harming yourself though, doesn't that just increase the suffering?

Sometimes you need to bleed to know you're alive.

 

[waived]

Meditation that works.

 

[BRAINWORMS]

For me it's a mix of punishment and turning amorphous psychological pain into tangible, visible physical pain.