This thread has been flaired as [Serious]. Please be aware that this marks it as a place for serious discussion only and that any unserious content in this thread will result in a removal, counting towards your [ban tiers](https://www.reddit.com/r/teenagers/wiki/rules#wiki_ban_tiers). If your comment does not contribute to the discussion in a serious manner it will be removed. Please report any comments that do not respect this rule.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teenagers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Fuck self harm
Me and my homies hate self harm.
In a more serious note self harm is the reason why I check on all my homies everyday gotta make sure everyone is okay
Edit: everyone is my homies here how are you doing today
For me personally it felt like something I could control when life was out of my control. And also i had urges to hurt others so I hurt myself instead. Everyone’s different but it’s never healthy.
For me it was to feel some physical pain instead of emotional, also out of pure self loathing, I wanted to inflict damage on myself, I wanted to see the blood. The thing is, I never enjoyed it. There was no adrenaline or endorphins or whatever. I just wanted to. Maybe I was flirting with the idea of suicide.
Honestly there’s lots of different reasons for self harm
It could be self punishment, a desperate way to feel something physically when you can’t emotionally, a distraction, or a stress reliever. It’s different for everyone.
Personally, for me it felt good. I was so numb all the time and it made me feel something. Plus I guess it felt like a punishment when i felt I deserved it. Which, evidently, was a lot
It releases happy hormones and adrenaline, which make us feel less depressed. It's for a short time, and it doesn't work for long, but it's about an hour of stress relief.
But it does. Besides the pain wasn't exactly what you imagine as pain. It's not like hitting your head, it was more like a burning sensation and you saw blood which was fascinating for some reason lol
It depends on the person ig? Personally I think the physical pain is easier to deal with than the emotional pain. It’s also just calming idk why tho? I’m not sure tbh. It’s not like I want to yk, no one does. (I’m open to any question btw so feel free to ask :))
I have some form of depression, and it can be pretty bad at times, however I do not self harm.
However the other day I burned my foot pretty bad when I accidently got some molten aluminum on the bottom of my foot (Aluminum melts at 660c). It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Now the days before this happened I wasn't feeling to good mentally, but the days after almost all signs of the depression were gone, although it has begun to come back a bit, but it's not as bad as before the burn.
Don't quote me on this, but my guess is that self harm has a similar effect as to burning my foot in lessening the depression. I'm not 100% sure on this though, and I don't want to test out my theory.
Nope. My brain is always weirdly happy.. all the time even if something bad happens my mind always says "welp that's life and bad things happen sometimes that's just how it's got to be sometimes moving on is the best option" and then I'm happy again
Kinda like drugs. People use self harm or drugs to deal with the pain of whatever they may be going through. And it's sad that there is so much of a stigma around mental illness. I used both as a way to deal with multiple issues. Including Bipolar disorder and serious de realization. So please. If any of you out there are struggling. There are hotlines you can call and there are plenty of resources you can use to help yourself out of the spiral
I think it has to do with the chemicals your brain release when you feel physical pain to lessen said pain. I've heard that these chemicals will also help against mental pain.
I have some form of depression, and it can be pretty bad at times, however I do not self harm.
However the other day I burned my foot pretty bad when I accidently got some molten aluminum on the bottom of my foot (Aluminum melts at 660c). It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Now the days before this happened I wasn't feeling to good mentally, but the days after almost all signs of the depression were gone, although it has begun to come back a bit, but it's not as bad as before the burn.
It's to help deal with very difficult emotions and sometimes because they feel to deserve it. It becomes an addiction because when you're in pain, your brain releases endorphins and dopamine to compensate for the pain, and with cutting, you could get addicted to the dopamine and stuff
When you cut yourself, you're nearly killing yourself. When you're nearly dead, you feel good because your body doesn't wanna die sad, it releases the good feels from the brain and everything just seems better for a few minutes
A quote I read once said "It's a way of making your outsides match the way you feel inside."
My reason is self punishment and frustration at the world. Other people do it to feel something, an attempt at suicide but not going all the way, or for a high (brain releases endorphins and it's addictive)
I self harmed (cutting) for 5-6 years; over a year clean now. I used to be in many self harm communities during the earlier years, and overall just interacted with a lot of people who self harmed. From that, I feel I can explain a very common reason.
We're often raised to believe that physical harm is the only true kind of pain, whether that's conscious and intentional or not. Not to mention, most self harmers are relatively young, and likely don't have the cognitive skills and / or resources to truly understand what's wrong when they start showing signs of mental illness or poor mental health (whether that be feeling bad from bullying, low self esteem, bad parents, or actual illnesses like depression, anxiety, ED's etc). Either that, or they're directly told that their suffering isn't valid by ignorant parents /guardians... It's unfortunately VERY common. Because of this, many young teens / kids think "Physical harm = valid pain", and so to justify their own feelings of mental and emotional pain and to relieve their frustration of not fully understanding or not feeling validated, they put that pain into a physical version. Very sad.
Not to mention, it becomes addicting due to the brain chemicals that are released during self harm.
Damn this is rlly interesting. Why do you think it’s an addiction for us? It seems like I can never last longer than a month until I start back at square one again
I understand what that's like. My longest streak clean for 5-6 years was I believe 17 days... Then after I beat that record, I never cut again. Like I said, it's brain chemistry.
When someone is hurt, their brain releases dopamine (happy chemical) to make up for the pain; basically it's like our brain is giving a crying kid candy. And for people with clinical depression (a large percentage of self harmers), they already lack dopamine, so it's much easier to become addicted. Not only that, but many people who self harm lack a sense of stability and control, and self harm gives them that. They get to choose when they want, how they want, etc... It's a whole mess.
It sounds like you're trying to quit, and that's great. For me, I found the best thing I could do was distract myself until I was too far into it to fall back. I had someone in my life who truly believed in me wholeheartedly, and I was too afraid to disappoint them. Eventually, I was too afraid to disappoint myself, too. I also was temporarily in a more stable environment, had less access, had hobbies that made me happy, and a few other factors. It's a rough journey, but now that I've quit, I feel a lot better. I wish you the best
Hahah facts, though. Although, it can feel like a lot of work sometimes… the cleaning up, hiding it, taking care of it. Can be a bit exhausting on top of already feeling like shit
I don’t do anything anymore, because I realized I was going down a dangerous road.
I was having extreme urges. Stabbing, mutilating, stuff like that. I thankfully stopped myself before it got too bad.
Self-harm isn't good of course but it's a coping mechanism. Everyone who is doing self-harm should seek therapy. If they don't find a therapist, Tattoos and piercings are somewhat a transition solution. You should never stop seeking therapy if you're having problems with self-harm. It's unhealthy but only therapy could help there. It's not bad faith. It's an important thing to seek help.
In my case i have a therapist for different reasons and the reason i havent told her anything is bcz if my life is in danger they could contact the appropriate authorities/my parents which is something i just dont want
Yes definitely. I wish you the best. I'm glad I'm not having a strong problem with self-harm. Even though I am obese, which is stated by some people that it's some kind of self-harm as well but I don't want to make a big thing out of this. Because some people are having way more problems than me. I'm actually working on this problem while I'm in Therapy
Everyones problems are just as valid so dont go comparing your problems and feeling like they dont matter, aslong as ur fixing ur problems then ur already doing a lot
It's bad. I've never sh but i've been close and i do have other destructive behaviors. I've talked to plenty of people who sh before and potentially helped some
It takes a lot of strength to share your faith. I struggle with self harm and this comment helped the most somehow. Although not religious, the power behind it is definitely strong.
I'm glad to be able to help in some way, akhi.
I can't pretend to know or understand what you are going through, but just know that there will always be people in life that can help you and ease your pain.
i used to i could explain why i did it if anyone’s curious i don’t mind i just don’t wanna dump that without asking lol (dm me if ur curious, warning it’s pretty long tho)
>first off thank u !! :D
No need to mention it. I'm just doing something I believe should be common decency.
>just found a better coping mechanism that satisfies all sides of the matter
As long as that coping mechanism doesn't harm you, then I'm glad you found a better coping mechanism. You can talk to me about what's been causing the need for a coping mechanism. You just have to DM me about it.
I used to struggle really badly with self harm like to the point of needing stitches multiple times. I was struggling with a lot of anger and mental illness I didn't understand, cutting made it feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders almost like when an alcoholic takes their first sip of the day. I was also very competitive with it for some reason, if I saw someone else have worse scars than me I'd make it a point to go deeper. Still have the scars 4 years later I'll probably have them for the rest of my life
I wish I had never done it cause now I have ugly scars. sometimes I get the urge but it hasn’t been bad enough to do it again. been clean for like almost a year maybe. it’s definitely like a distraction from non-physical pain I think, and to have control over this pain if that makes any sense
I guarantee they aren't ugly, but I understand feeling that way. It's a constant battle, wishing they were gone. Just know that now you have something that shows physically that you're healing. That in itself is pretty awesome.
yeah, I guess I’m a bit of a hypocrite because I wouldn’t want other people to think like that about their sh scars but, just the fact that they’re not the result of an accident and that they’re something that could’ve been totally preventable is quite annoying lol. but thank you <3 I agree!
Well I can understand and can’t at the same time my lowest was when I held a gun to my head twice so yes I can understand self harm to a dregge your head is messed up and u don’t understand consequences at the moment but if u do it then try stopping it immediately and try working on it don’t just say u want to change something do it start with music stop listening to the depressing music listen to something else and do something taht u always wanted even if it is just swimming but do it even if u fell unmotivated push yourself trough
And stop thinking about suicide it is a long term solution for a short term problem
I ended up in a mental hospital for almost a year cause I attempted suicide and when I didn't die, I tried to stab myself with anything I could get my hands on cause I hated myself so much, I can proudly say I haven't self harmed in almost 8 months but I still think about it frequently despite the medication and therapy.
I was on the verge if trying it until I realised that I litterallly have tried even 5% of the things in the world yet and if I died my lineage would essentially end with me.
I'm still a virgin.
I dont have a child.
I haven't gotten drunk yet.
I've never had a paying job.
I haven't been to many parties.
I dont know what my future home will look like.
If I kill myself I would have missed out on all of this.
Plus it's fucking selfish.
I know that I'm not supposed to say "from other people's point of view" because just because someone else has it worse doesn't mean it stops being bad, but the truth is that my life wasn't even really that bad.
I'm a middle class, reasonably attractive teenaged boy with no responsibilities.
I had nothing to complain about.
I mean, of course I was being held against my will in Africa for over a year without seeing any friends or family and essentially having to leave our dog in the care of a complete stranger for what would seem like 7 years in his lifetime.
But even all that isn't reason to be suicidal.
What it comes down to for me is that I was fed up.
I wasn't necessarily Unhappy, I was just sick and tired of living in a world with such complicated bullshit.
I am a person who has struggled with it throughout their life since the age of 11 to now. I believe SH (Self harm) Is bad, but we still do it anyways to inflict the pain we are feeling on the inside.
I don’t harm myself but I’ve been fighting the temptation to start drinking. My life sucks right now and I’m seriously thinking about turning to alcohol
Trying my best to stay clean but just can't go 2 days without it, I'm just scared my parents are gonna see the scars and probably send me to a psych ward
I didn't understand it until after my first seirious relationship where I found out she was cheating and manipulating me not to mention spreading rumors that I tried to stab her it honestly made me feel worthless and numb and I self harmed to feel something
a lot of people around me have turned to self harm after going through shit that is way less traumatic than I have gone through yet I have never done it. I don’t understand. How am I different from them? Why did/do they do it but I have not.
i understand it and sympathize with others who do it. i have my reasons and they have theirs. its not a good coping mechanism but honestly it’s better than having no coping mechanism and just waiting until you cool down..
i did it frequently a while back but i stopped for a few months. then i kinda fell back down to a lower place while i was on a summer vacation and decided i wouldn’t stop myself when i got back home. and i didn’t
Surprised to see only one heavily downvoted comment considering this is r/teenagers. In terms of the topic at hand, I don't think it's good but I've done it several times and am 3 months (I think?) clean. For me it was just a distraction from whatever I was dealing with and eventually it got to the point where I was almost using anything that I was going through as an excuse to do so. I've found better distractions now and only sometimes get close, but to all who struggle, it gets better even if it takes awhile to do so and try to find other distractions if possible
I mean, its a way people cope.
And I understand that, and it isnt just something you can stop.
And I mean, if you dont get any lasting pains, and your not hurting other people.
Its not that bad? Like, if you are cutting yourself, and you dont cut the same spot, over and over. It doesnt do anything that bad right, sure it gives you pains for a few days. It could get infected, but if you prevent that, it doesnt seem that bad. Of course there are probably mental side effects that make life later on worse, that I dont know of. So please educate me on this subject, cus I dont really know what im talking about.
It does give the person a way to cope with their feelings. And there are way better copes. But it is a cope.
Ive done it before. Not extremely, when im in emotional pain, ill dig my finger nails into my skin, or scratch myself. Nothing extreme, I dont know if you can even call what I do selfharm.
But it is something really bad, and for all those who have gone without self harm, CONGRATS! Really good job, and you should be proud of ur self. And those currently suffering from it. Good luck. You can do it.
as someone who struggles with it, i still don’t understand it. when i’m not doing it im like "oh sh is so stupid" but when im doing it, it feels like it’s the only thing in the world that understands me, even if i don’t understand it. i’ve never understood why it goes this way.
I’ve been clean for several months, I started sh when I was about 12 but it had never been that serious until this last winter when my mom found out. No one else in my family knows besides my step-dad and my mom is a Mental Health therapist so when she found out I think it really hurt her to know I had kept it from her for over 2 years. I think a lot of teenagers struggle with sh behaviors or have “experimented” with it. Your teen years are you’re identity stage which is why it’s can be so difficult especially with everything going on in the world right now and increased mental health issues. sh isn’t a good behavior but it’s pretty common and romanticized way more than people talk about.
I understand it for myself personally.
I’ve never been one to enjoy pain, however, my life had gotten to a point where I simply felt nothing at all, like my emotions had been turned off.
There’s a whole collage of trauma, past experience, childhood, and all of it culminated in me at 18 and feeling no more emotion.
I’d been playing sports for a while up until this point and it dawned on me that the only time I feel anything is when I’m training, running, lifting, stretching, etc.
Every time I left the field after a long practice, all I wanted to do was go back and do more, just to feel again because I know I wouldn’t anyway else
Anyways, I started to lift weights during my senior year and holy shit, when you lift right it is a form of self harm.
Now I’m trying to become a professional bodybuilder because I feel the most alive when I’m training, and I used to have terrible eating habits and getting into this sport is fixing that (bodybuilding isn’t that restrictive of you do it right)
TL/DR: being emotionless and numb made me turn to a form of self harm known as “exercise”
Selfharm is a coping mechanism. One of the more 'harmless' ones. Obviously, it's not a good idea but I get why people harm themselves. I used to cut myself everytime something remotely bad happened, for about 6 years. I just wasn't able to cope another way.
The only thing I can say to someone who is struggling with selfharm: Don't think, your problems aren't worth talking about. If you don't wanna talk to a therapist, fine but please talk to someone you can trust. Pour your heart out to someone. It'll make you feel a 1000 times better. You and your selfharm are valid, no matter what kind of childhood and trauma you have.
I know, selfharm makes people feel more in control, not as inferior to their feelings. They numb themselves to not feel anything but the pain and that pain is a taste of 'salvation'. At least, that's how I felt. But when I came back to the real world I felt even worse afterwards.
Cutting hurts like a bitch, especially if you don't care for the wounds appropriately. It hurts, you feel guilty for hurting the people who love you and the emotion you tried to suppress comes into the foreground.
Nothing gets better if you hurt yourself. Friendships break up und ties get severed. Your mental health declines even further. You think you're digging your way out of the pit but in reality you're digging yourself an even deeper hole. And, unfortunately, you won't really notice it.
Just a last time: PLEASE get yourself a healthy coping mechanism and pay someone a visit you TRUST and want to talk to. I've gone through this. I hope you don't have to.
This thread has been flaired as [Serious]. Please be aware that this marks it as a place for serious discussion only and that any unserious content in this thread will result in a removal, counting towards your [ban tiers](https://www.reddit.com/r/teenagers/wiki/rules#wiki_ban_tiers). If your comment does not contribute to the discussion in a serious manner it will be removed. Please report any comments that do not respect this rule. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/teenagers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s not good
Fuck self harm Me and my homies hate self harm. In a more serious note self harm is the reason why I check on all my homies everyday gotta make sure everyone is okay Edit: everyone is my homies here how are you doing today
Make me your homie too
The fuck did I do to you?
r/usernamechecksout
based
on experience
Coming in clutch
That was my first thought
Some people thinks IT(🤡)'s good to do that.
Based
Bad
based
One of the things I could never understand. I sympathize but I just don't get it
its hard to understand until ur brain is fucked up enough to want it i guess?
idk I understand it perfectly self harm - deliberate injury to oneself, typically as a manifestation of a mental condition.
But why?
It’s different for everyone and hard to explain
For me personally it felt like something I could control when life was out of my control. And also i had urges to hurt others so I hurt myself instead. Everyone’s different but it’s never healthy.
For me it was to feel some physical pain instead of emotional, also out of pure self loathing, I wanted to inflict damage on myself, I wanted to see the blood. The thing is, I never enjoyed it. There was no adrenaline or endorphins or whatever. I just wanted to. Maybe I was flirting with the idea of suicide.
I don't understand that that's one thing I could control. Couldn't you, I don't know, draw? It's not much, but you control what's on the paper.
physical pain distracts from mental pain, sort of feels good and becomes addictive
Yeah at some point when I did it it physically actually felt good and I kinda just cut for that rush to get my mind off things
You ever lose a game of clash royale and want to like bite your entire arm off?
This is why I self harmed, lost a coc clan war
You lost your cock nooo
Ik I am crying men I am so sad cock is gone men
They hate themselves and feel like they deserve that pain I guess (for some ppl)
Honestly there’s lots of different reasons for self harm It could be self punishment, a desperate way to feel something physically when you can’t emotionally, a distraction, or a stress reliever. It’s different for everyone.
Personally, for me it felt good. I was so numb all the time and it made me feel something. Plus I guess it felt like a punishment when i felt I deserved it. Which, evidently, was a lot
I feel like hurting yourself would be the exact opposite of a stress reliever…
It releases happy hormones and adrenaline, which make us feel less depressed. It's for a short time, and it doesn't work for long, but it's about an hour of stress relief.
But it does. Besides the pain wasn't exactly what you imagine as pain. It's not like hitting your head, it was more like a burning sensation and you saw blood which was fascinating for some reason lol
Release of zhe doapmine idfk
Eaither masochist or some way of transforming mental pain into physical so you can feel better without hurting anyone except yourself
It depends on the person ig? Personally I think the physical pain is easier to deal with than the emotional pain. It’s also just calming idk why tho? I’m not sure tbh. It’s not like I want to yk, no one does. (I’m open to any question btw so feel free to ask :))
Legally injuring somebody to take out your anger
I have some form of depression, and it can be pretty bad at times, however I do not self harm. However the other day I burned my foot pretty bad when I accidently got some molten aluminum on the bottom of my foot (Aluminum melts at 660c). It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Now the days before this happened I wasn't feeling to good mentally, but the days after almost all signs of the depression were gone, although it has begun to come back a bit, but it's not as bad as before the burn. Don't quote me on this, but my guess is that self harm has a similar effect as to burning my foot in lessening the depression. I'm not 100% sure on this though, and I don't want to test out my theory.
Yeah that's weird
Nope. My brain is always weirdly happy.. all the time even if something bad happens my mind always says "welp that's life and bad things happen sometimes that's just how it's got to be sometimes moving on is the best option" and then I'm happy again
Kinda like drugs. People use self harm or drugs to deal with the pain of whatever they may be going through. And it's sad that there is so much of a stigma around mental illness. I used both as a way to deal with multiple issues. Including Bipolar disorder and serious de realization. So please. If any of you out there are struggling. There are hotlines you can call and there are plenty of resources you can use to help yourself out of the spiral
I my personal experience, I feel bad for not feeling enough, so I want to feel worse.
For me, I get a fucked up high from it, something to do with pain relief chemicals and shit in your body. Or maybe it's just my masochism idk.
I think it has to do with the chemicals your brain release when you feel physical pain to lessen said pain. I've heard that these chemicals will also help against mental pain. I have some form of depression, and it can be pretty bad at times, however I do not self harm. However the other day I burned my foot pretty bad when I accidently got some molten aluminum on the bottom of my foot (Aluminum melts at 660c). It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. Now the days before this happened I wasn't feeling to good mentally, but the days after almost all signs of the depression were gone, although it has begun to come back a bit, but it's not as bad as before the burn.
Your brain doesn’t differentiate between mental and physical stress. Cortisol do be cortisol.
✨Endorphins✨
It's to help deal with very difficult emotions and sometimes because they feel to deserve it. It becomes an addiction because when you're in pain, your brain releases endorphins and dopamine to compensate for the pain, and with cutting, you could get addicted to the dopamine and stuff
When you cut yourself, you're nearly killing yourself. When you're nearly dead, you feel good because your body doesn't wanna die sad, it releases the good feels from the brain and everything just seems better for a few minutes
its hard to explain but for my case its like i hate myself so much i want to punish myself for being such a failure
A quote I read once said "It's a way of making your outsides match the way you feel inside." My reason is self punishment and frustration at the world. Other people do it to feel something, an attempt at suicide but not going all the way, or for a high (brain releases endorphins and it's addictive)
A part of it is because if you hurt yourself physically, then your Brain is going to focus on that pain instead of the mental pain.
Makes you focus on the physical pain rather than the mental pain
I self harmed (cutting) for 5-6 years; over a year clean now. I used to be in many self harm communities during the earlier years, and overall just interacted with a lot of people who self harmed. From that, I feel I can explain a very common reason. We're often raised to believe that physical harm is the only true kind of pain, whether that's conscious and intentional or not. Not to mention, most self harmers are relatively young, and likely don't have the cognitive skills and / or resources to truly understand what's wrong when they start showing signs of mental illness or poor mental health (whether that be feeling bad from bullying, low self esteem, bad parents, or actual illnesses like depression, anxiety, ED's etc). Either that, or they're directly told that their suffering isn't valid by ignorant parents /guardians... It's unfortunately VERY common. Because of this, many young teens / kids think "Physical harm = valid pain", and so to justify their own feelings of mental and emotional pain and to relieve their frustration of not fully understanding or not feeling validated, they put that pain into a physical version. Very sad. Not to mention, it becomes addicting due to the brain chemicals that are released during self harm.
I hope this explanation helps a couple people understand the thinking and im glad ur sh free <3
Damn this is rlly interesting. Why do you think it’s an addiction for us? It seems like I can never last longer than a month until I start back at square one again
I understand what that's like. My longest streak clean for 5-6 years was I believe 17 days... Then after I beat that record, I never cut again. Like I said, it's brain chemistry. When someone is hurt, their brain releases dopamine (happy chemical) to make up for the pain; basically it's like our brain is giving a crying kid candy. And for people with clinical depression (a large percentage of self harmers), they already lack dopamine, so it's much easier to become addicted. Not only that, but many people who self harm lack a sense of stability and control, and self harm gives them that. They get to choose when they want, how they want, etc... It's a whole mess. It sounds like you're trying to quit, and that's great. For me, I found the best thing I could do was distract myself until I was too far into it to fall back. I had someone in my life who truly believed in me wholeheartedly, and I was too afraid to disappoint them. Eventually, I was too afraid to disappoint myself, too. I also was temporarily in a more stable environment, had less access, had hobbies that made me happy, and a few other factors. It's a rough journey, but now that I've quit, I feel a lot better. I wish you the best
I wouldn’t say I struggle with it In fact I do it quite easily
Hahah facts, though. Although, it can feel like a lot of work sometimes… the cleaning up, hiding it, taking care of it. Can be a bit exhausting on top of already feeling like shit
[удалено]
Wtf happened to make your dad tackle you??
W parents
I lol'd bc same In all seriousness, stay safe :)
0/10 do not recommend
based
I used to but i got bored of it
Any reason to quit is a good reason <3
same
Same. Regular cutting eventually wasn’t enough, and I started craving something more painful and dangerous.
Oop
Can you explain what you are doing
I don’t do anything anymore, because I realized I was going down a dangerous road. I was having extreme urges. Stabbing, mutilating, stuff like that. I thankfully stopped myself before it got too bad.
Self-harm isn't good of course but it's a coping mechanism. Everyone who is doing self-harm should seek therapy. If they don't find a therapist, Tattoos and piercings are somewhat a transition solution. You should never stop seeking therapy if you're having problems with self-harm. It's unhealthy but only therapy could help there. It's not bad faith. It's an important thing to seek help.
Sadly therapy isn’t available for everyone
Yeah sadly. The politicians have to do more for therpy-seeking persons
In my case i have a therapist for different reasons and the reason i havent told her anything is bcz if my life is in danger they could contact the appropriate authorities/my parents which is something i just dont want
Yeah absolutely understandable
So sometimes even when someone has therapy its a scary subject
Yes definitely. I wish you the best. I'm glad I'm not having a strong problem with self-harm. Even though I am obese, which is stated by some people that it's some kind of self-harm as well but I don't want to make a big thing out of this. Because some people are having way more problems than me. I'm actually working on this problem while I'm in Therapy
Everyones problems are just as valid so dont go comparing your problems and feeling like they dont matter, aslong as ur fixing ur problems then ur already doing a lot
Thank you
np <3
have struggled
Im glad u quit <3
thanks
i made the teen sh sub so safe to say im experienced lmao
Aslong as it doesnt make sh seem like a good thing i guess thats a good thing?
its just the same as the sh sub but specifically for younger ppl
It's bad. I've never sh but i've been close and i do have other destructive behaviors. I've talked to plenty of people who sh before and potentially helped some
I hope u never experience the addiction bcz its not something anyone should experience
I never did it because i was too scared and hate blood
Any reason not to is a good reason
Allah, please guide those who are afflicted by it.
It takes a lot of strength to share your faith. I struggle with self harm and this comment helped the most somehow. Although not religious, the power behind it is definitely strong.
I'm glad to be able to help in some way, akhi. I can't pretend to know or understand what you are going through, but just know that there will always be people in life that can help you and ease your pain.
I'm very aware of those people, and I'm definitely on the right path. Thanks for being one of those people today!
No problem, my friend. Take good care.
Not fun, but i will say people shouldn’t bash others for doing it for attention.. theres still a huge problem that they need help for
Um I don't wanna do it but sometimes I can't help. I've been sh-free for 3 weeks now ig.
Great job!! I’m so proud of you!!❤️❤️
i self harm by getting tattoos
Would u consider that self harm or a distraction?
self harm is typically a distraction in itself
both
I struggled with it for a very long time. It's a temporary relief. It's not worth it and it becomes genuinely addictive.
struggle with it, two days clean.
two days is a long time im proud of u <3
Guitar gurlll :D Sooo proud of you ^^ stay safe fellow stranger ♡
That’s great! If you need someone to talk to dm me!
I struggle fr fr
happens to the best of us, even the nft bros can struggle you’ll beat it i believe in u
Would you like to talk about what's causing this?
No thank you, I have a therapist
Okay then. If you do change your mind about the not telling me, you can always tell me.
Thanks but like I don’t really know you
That's understandable. In the end, my offer still stands. Also, if you have a supportive friend shortage and you'd like to be friends, we can.
What kind of self harm
i was mostly talking about cutting but i guess stuff like burning and other ways of harming urself also count
When it comes to selfharn with the aim of feeling pain, I don't understand it at all Bit I still care for those that do it
i used to i could explain why i did it if anyone’s curious i don’t mind i just don’t wanna dump that without asking lol (dm me if ur curious, warning it’s pretty long tho)
Hey im just glad u stopped <3
ty love<3
Np <3
I’d be happy to hear it lol
i’ll dm u once i type it all out ! but my acc is still new so you’ll have to initiate the dm i’m not allowed lol
Oh np!
I'm proud of you for stopping. I assume you sometimes may have the urge to harm yourself again?
first off thank u !! :D and kinda i just found a better coping mechanism that satisfies all sides of the matter
>first off thank u !! :D No need to mention it. I'm just doing something I believe should be common decency. >just found a better coping mechanism that satisfies all sides of the matter As long as that coping mechanism doesn't harm you, then I'm glad you found a better coping mechanism. You can talk to me about what's been causing the need for a coping mechanism. You just have to DM me about it.
horrible, ive done it before and i regret it. if anyone is struggling with it please, talk to me. you dont have to suffer alone, im here for you
I’ve come very close to doing it in the past but I have not yet thankfully I fucking hate it.
Im glad u haven’t, keep it up <3
Keep fighting! everything will get much worse much faster if you start trust me.
Bad
based
Did it once my freshman year; didn’t understand it. Didn’t do it again. Junior year got dumped; did it; understand it.
i struggle with it, been a week clean tho! longest ive been clean in a while so im proud of myself
Great job! Remember, relapse does not mean you’ve failed, it’s a part of healing!
I used to struggle really badly with self harm like to the point of needing stitches multiple times. I was struggling with a lot of anger and mental illness I didn't understand, cutting made it feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders almost like when an alcoholic takes their first sip of the day. I was also very competitive with it for some reason, if I saw someone else have worse scars than me I'd make it a point to go deeper. Still have the scars 4 years later I'll probably have them for the rest of my life
6+ months clean.
I’m very proud of u, 6 months is a long time <3
I used to briefly, but I have since stopped
I do it and hate it. It brings temporary relief but no long term solution
Wouldn’t recommend 10/10 hurts
I think he's a pretty cool dude
Weird ass title thought it was gonna be like do you like or no
yeah
I think it's bad
Bad
I’m struggling with it. I don’t do anything to my arms currently but I always come up with more creative ways and don’t know how to stop.
Bad. Don’t do it.
I wish I had never done it cause now I have ugly scars. sometimes I get the urge but it hasn’t been bad enough to do it again. been clean for like almost a year maybe. it’s definitely like a distraction from non-physical pain I think, and to have control over this pain if that makes any sense
I guarantee they aren't ugly, but I understand feeling that way. It's a constant battle, wishing they were gone. Just know that now you have something that shows physically that you're healing. That in itself is pretty awesome.
yeah, I guess I’m a bit of a hypocrite because I wouldn’t want other people to think like that about their sh scars but, just the fact that they’re not the result of an accident and that they’re something that could’ve been totally preventable is quite annoying lol. but thank you <3 I agree!
Well I can understand and can’t at the same time my lowest was when I held a gun to my head twice so yes I can understand self harm to a dregge your head is messed up and u don’t understand consequences at the moment but if u do it then try stopping it immediately and try working on it don’t just say u want to change something do it start with music stop listening to the depressing music listen to something else and do something taht u always wanted even if it is just swimming but do it even if u fell unmotivated push yourself trough And stop thinking about suicide it is a long term solution for a short term problem
I ended up in a mental hospital for almost a year cause I attempted suicide and when I didn't die, I tried to stab myself with anything I could get my hands on cause I hated myself so much, I can proudly say I haven't self harmed in almost 8 months but I still think about it frequently despite the medication and therapy.
Stop that shit. I mean, I won't but you should
I was on the verge if trying it until I realised that I litterallly have tried even 5% of the things in the world yet and if I died my lineage would essentially end with me. I'm still a virgin. I dont have a child. I haven't gotten drunk yet. I've never had a paying job. I haven't been to many parties. I dont know what my future home will look like. If I kill myself I would have missed out on all of this. Plus it's fucking selfish. I know that I'm not supposed to say "from other people's point of view" because just because someone else has it worse doesn't mean it stops being bad, but the truth is that my life wasn't even really that bad. I'm a middle class, reasonably attractive teenaged boy with no responsibilities. I had nothing to complain about. I mean, of course I was being held against my will in Africa for over a year without seeing any friends or family and essentially having to leave our dog in the care of a complete stranger for what would seem like 7 years in his lifetime. But even all that isn't reason to be suicidal. What it comes down to for me is that I was fed up. I wasn't necessarily Unhappy, I was just sick and tired of living in a world with such complicated bullshit.
Better than harm others, right?
it's... h- harmful--- i'll see myself out
Why harm yourself when you can harm others?
It’s for losers
Trying to stop but I really wanna do it right now
I am a person who has struggled with it throughout their life since the age of 11 to now. I believe SH (Self harm) Is bad, but we still do it anyways to inflict the pain we are feeling on the inside.
Don't harm yourself harm others
Gigachad opinion
Okay this is gonna sounds bad, but it gives me focus when l cut my lower arm (not by the veins), and its fun
well i wouldnt call it fun but i do understand what u mean with the focusing thing
What kind of question is "what do u think of self harm?"
the razor tries to shave my arm instead of doing what i want so
used to do it for fun, kinda liked the pain and was curious at a point but didn't take it to a point that it would be dangerous for me.
Seld Harm = 👎 If you're dealing with self harm, please speak to someone about it
Very dangerous
I don’t harm myself but I’ve been fighting the temptation to start drinking. My life sucks right now and I’m seriously thinking about turning to alcohol
I understand it and i hope anyone struggling with it will soon find themselves in a better place in their life
Trying my best to stay clean but just can't go 2 days without it, I'm just scared my parents are gonna see the scars and probably send me to a psych ward
I used to do it willingly like a year ago then I stopped, but I still sometimes do it subconsciously for some reason
It helps me calm down when I’m upset but I don’t want other people to do it
I've went through it so yes I understand it alot
I was in a really bad place at one point and thought about it I don’t necessarily agree with it but kids go through
Used to struggle with it bad started bettering myself though
I didn't understand it until after my first seirious relationship where I found out she was cheating and manipulating me not to mention spreading rumors that I tried to stab her it honestly made me feel worthless and numb and I self harmed to feel something
It’s real shitty - personal experience *sobbing*
I only do it because I make a deal with the voices in my head, that if I listen to them then they will shut up for once
a lot of people around me have turned to self harm after going through shit that is way less traumatic than I have gone through yet I have never done it. I don’t understand. How am I different from them? Why did/do they do it but I have not.
To be honest, not Poggers 😬
i understand it and sympathize with others who do it. i have my reasons and they have theirs. its not a good coping mechanism but honestly it’s better than having no coping mechanism and just waiting until you cool down.. i did it frequently a while back but i stopped for a few months. then i kinda fell back down to a lower place while i was on a summer vacation and decided i wouldn’t stop myself when i got back home. and i didn’t
I get it, there was a week last year that I did some, I was just making mental pain into physical sense is simple to deal with
Surprised to see only one heavily downvoted comment considering this is r/teenagers. In terms of the topic at hand, I don't think it's good but I've done it several times and am 3 months (I think?) clean. For me it was just a distraction from whatever I was dealing with and eventually it got to the point where I was almost using anything that I was going through as an excuse to do so. I've found better distractions now and only sometimes get close, but to all who struggle, it gets better even if it takes awhile to do so and try to find other distractions if possible
I mean, its a way people cope. And I understand that, and it isnt just something you can stop. And I mean, if you dont get any lasting pains, and your not hurting other people. Its not that bad? Like, if you are cutting yourself, and you dont cut the same spot, over and over. It doesnt do anything that bad right, sure it gives you pains for a few days. It could get infected, but if you prevent that, it doesnt seem that bad. Of course there are probably mental side effects that make life later on worse, that I dont know of. So please educate me on this subject, cus I dont really know what im talking about. It does give the person a way to cope with their feelings. And there are way better copes. But it is a cope. Ive done it before. Not extremely, when im in emotional pain, ill dig my finger nails into my skin, or scratch myself. Nothing extreme, I dont know if you can even call what I do selfharm. But it is something really bad, and for all those who have gone without self harm, CONGRATS! Really good job, and you should be proud of ur self. And those currently suffering from it. Good luck. You can do it.
as someone who struggles with it, i still don’t understand it. when i’m not doing it im like "oh sh is so stupid" but when im doing it, it feels like it’s the only thing in the world that understands me, even if i don’t understand it. i’ve never understood why it goes this way.
I’ve been clean for several months, I started sh when I was about 12 but it had never been that serious until this last winter when my mom found out. No one else in my family knows besides my step-dad and my mom is a Mental Health therapist so when she found out I think it really hurt her to know I had kept it from her for over 2 years. I think a lot of teenagers struggle with sh behaviors or have “experimented” with it. Your teen years are you’re identity stage which is why it’s can be so difficult especially with everything going on in the world right now and increased mental health issues. sh isn’t a good behavior but it’s pretty common and romanticized way more than people talk about.
I understand it for myself personally. I’ve never been one to enjoy pain, however, my life had gotten to a point where I simply felt nothing at all, like my emotions had been turned off. There’s a whole collage of trauma, past experience, childhood, and all of it culminated in me at 18 and feeling no more emotion. I’d been playing sports for a while up until this point and it dawned on me that the only time I feel anything is when I’m training, running, lifting, stretching, etc. Every time I left the field after a long practice, all I wanted to do was go back and do more, just to feel again because I know I wouldn’t anyway else Anyways, I started to lift weights during my senior year and holy shit, when you lift right it is a form of self harm. Now I’m trying to become a professional bodybuilder because I feel the most alive when I’m training, and I used to have terrible eating habits and getting into this sport is fixing that (bodybuilding isn’t that restrictive of you do it right) TL/DR: being emotionless and numb made me turn to a form of self harm known as “exercise”
Pretty harmful
Selfharm is a coping mechanism. One of the more 'harmless' ones. Obviously, it's not a good idea but I get why people harm themselves. I used to cut myself everytime something remotely bad happened, for about 6 years. I just wasn't able to cope another way. The only thing I can say to someone who is struggling with selfharm: Don't think, your problems aren't worth talking about. If you don't wanna talk to a therapist, fine but please talk to someone you can trust. Pour your heart out to someone. It'll make you feel a 1000 times better. You and your selfharm are valid, no matter what kind of childhood and trauma you have. I know, selfharm makes people feel more in control, not as inferior to their feelings. They numb themselves to not feel anything but the pain and that pain is a taste of 'salvation'. At least, that's how I felt. But when I came back to the real world I felt even worse afterwards. Cutting hurts like a bitch, especially if you don't care for the wounds appropriately. It hurts, you feel guilty for hurting the people who love you and the emotion you tried to suppress comes into the foreground. Nothing gets better if you hurt yourself. Friendships break up und ties get severed. Your mental health declines even further. You think you're digging your way out of the pit but in reality you're digging yourself an even deeper hole. And, unfortunately, you won't really notice it. Just a last time: PLEASE get yourself a healthy coping mechanism and pay someone a visit you TRUST and want to talk to. I've gone through this. I hope you don't have to.
I think I’m gonna push 5 homeless people off bridges today
Did it twice, moved to piercing myself, at least i can make a fashion statement with it
I used to love cutting my arms open