Cutting

mooray

Cutting what exactly? Your nails, hair or skin?

Shammy

What @mooray said! :P I don't think it's something that bad if you find pleasure in cutting your nails, hair but if you're cutting your skin because of depression issues it may be a good idea to check in with someone who can offer help.

Funky_Monkey

I have friends who love to cut up stuff like paper, hair, cloth, etc. @Shammy is right, I guess if the cutting behavior is channeled artistically, there is nothing wrong with it. It is just the same as when a person can't stop drawing or singing or dancing because it makes them feel good and calm. But when you are cutting to hurt yourself and others then there's something wrong there.

dominica

@alianna yes, it is an addiction. i have never cut, but i know someone who used to.  if you're finding it difficult to stop, seek some professional help.  you can also do some reading up on it. 

i find this website helpful. it is 146 things you can do besides cutting....may help!

http://www.adolescentselfinjuryfoundation.com/page11

there's also a 1-800- DONTCUT but i have never called it, so not sure if it's a great thing or not.

we are here for you!

TheTreeofThorns

No, she is talking about cutting her skin.

Please, please get help for this. It is a psychological problem and you need to get help. Those scars will be on you forever and you can really damage yourself. This is such a scary thing to hear about people. I will pray for you.

nergaahl

It is an addiction. During my teenage years I loved cutting so much (started doing so because of my depression) that now I have over 100 scars on my body. I had been cutting until I finished high school. I have forced myself to do so, no matter how bad was the urge to harm myself, as I was conscious it was bad for me.

Tata

It's definitely an addiction since it offers a release that some people gravitate towards as an easy fix. I think learning more about alternative forms of releases helps a lot as with any addiction so the next time you feel like cutting you'd have something more positive to do. Also I think getting professional counseling would be very advisable for people who do this because self harm should be treated seriously.

Alianna

Yes, I meant cutting my skin. I am getting hep for it. People treating me argue about whether it's an addiction though. Some want me in 12 step groups and such, others want me in treatment for my PTSD saying when that is treated I will stop cutting. I never know who to believe.

mooray

It could be an addiction or it could be depression. I remember when I was a kid I used to cut off all my nails to the smallest proportions. It was not depression for me since I was like 7 years old and I was not stressed. I continued cutting my nails late into my teenage years. I know exactly how addictive it is. But you seek professional help like therapy since cutting the skin is quite serious.

SunnyDaze

I have never cut, instead I rip things. I guess the good thing is I can't just rip pieces of me off. Since I am a big baby cutting wasn't something that I would do. I do know what you mean about the way you feel afterwards though. When I rip things up I feel so much better. Luckily ripping up paper is much less harmful. No one thinks about what your doing, they just think "Oh she's just ripping up paper, or junk mail or something"

Is that something you could do maybe? Next time you feel like you want to cut yourself try ripping stuff up, you might like that tearing sound, and there is no marks to be embarrassed by later. No one hurts but the anxiety is released.

Tata

I think any method would be good as long as you find it helpful. If you don't feel like going to those groups then maybe just try and find a support group for this specific topic first so you could learn more about it and also get to hear from some people who can relate to you better.

sissy

I think it is from being depressed and don't think it is an addiction at all

ZXD22

I know this is an old thread but I have to post this. One of my friends has told me that for some people cutting can be an addiction especially to an emo person. They enjoy the pain and suffering from cutting and I guess they get some kind of sensation from it. He used to be an emo so that was how he knows.

puneeth8994

I used to cut myself but that was way before, I get where you're coming from and it is a serious addiction. It's better to get help soon in such situations, mine had sort of led me to suicidal tendencies as well.