What is Self Injury?
Self Injury is the act of intentional harming ones self in any number of ways from scratching, cutting, burning, breaking bones, brusing, and any other way you might could think of that a person can cause harm to themselves on purpose.
Usually it is young women that self injury, however, it can be young men also. It usually starts early in life and carries over into adulthood. Usually it starts of with a non eveasive way of self injuring and will end with the person either cutting with mainly a razor blade or burning from any source that produces a flame or heat.
..... At some point in this persons life they may have been abused in on or may ways....Either sexually, physically, mentally, or any combination of all three.... Although there may not have been any abuse at all the person could just not have learned any other coping skills. They are dealing with feelings so deep and so strong inside that they are not able to cope with these feeling. Since an abused person only knows how to cope with things through abuse they find it easy to turn the abuse on themselves. This is not a form of suicide, not an attempt to commit suicide, and not an attempt to gain attention. It is a cry for help. It is a way to make the deep strong inner feelings and pain come to the surface where the they can be dealt with, where the person is able to handle them..... A cut or burn can be treated and will eventually heal..... There is a complete a total release of the inner pain and feelings through the act of self injuring. The affects are instant and total. However once started it may take longer to achive the relief goal needed.........
Be supportive to this person, even if the person does not understand the concept of support. Listen to the person they may just need someone to talk to them. Don't put them down because they self injury, and don't belittle them. At this point in their life this the only way they know how to cope with what is going on in and around their world. But most of all encourge this person to seek counseling. You may even need to seek couneling to understand what your friend is going through and how to better help them deal with life.
Okay enough about what self injury is and a little about me.
I am a 39 year old female. I have self injuried for the last 31 years in one form or another. I like most started out small using a pencil and progressed to my now favorite single edged razor blades.
I am in no way suggesting that anyone who reads these pages take up the habit of self harm as a way of coping! It is dangerous and has life long effects. In fact I wish I had never started.
My Favorite Web Sites
Secert Shame
Bodies Under Seige
Living on the Edge
Self Injury you are not crazy nor alone
It is my hope that if these pages can help someone or maybe just that one person that needs it then it has been worth all my time.
Remember it really only comes down to a simple choice get busy living or get busy dying. Shseshank Redemption Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!
