Why do people cut themselves?
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA -
I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CARoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
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RoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
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Who are you and what have you done to Captain See Sharp? :rolleyes: very good post, 5. Not much I can add.
Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers, Velopers, Develprs, Developers!
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Linkify!|Fold With Us! -
RoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
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I knew someone who cut himself and you are right, 5.
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I knew someone who cut himself and you are right, 5.
Same here, my best friend's sister did this. And she was actually hospitalized as a result in a mental institution and it never helped, only detained. Eventually she got over it but only through much support and understanding from her family. He got my 5 too.
What's in a sig? This statement is false. Build a bridge and get over it. ~ Chris Maunder
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RoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
█▒▒▒▒▒██▒█▒██ █▒█████▒▒▒▒▒█ █▒██████▒█▒██ █▒█████▒▒▒▒▒█ █▒▒▒▒▒██▒█▒██
I too have a friend that while in her teens cut herself when she was going though a severe depression. I think as you get a little older, the likelyhood of actually personally knowing someone who has had to deal with mental illness increases dramatically and when it becomes personal to you any ability you felt you had to make judgements about others sublimates. Seeing your brother, or father, or a friend lose their grasp shakes you to your bones.
David
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CAI can add very little above what Captain See Sharp said, except a bit more personal experience. Depression is severe, regardless of what the origin is, it can be overwhelming. I didn't cut myself so much as burn myself. Suffering severe Post Traumatic Stress related flash-backs to abuse, the only way to snap out of it was pain. I discovered it the first time by accident, the other dozen makes my arms look like a grill accident. The nice thing about the summer in the southwest, when it comes time to go home and you need pain to focus on the road rather than fall into a panic, or worse a full-out flashback, there is always something hot enough to do the job -- especially in a car full of metal objects. It's not a mental illness you can "cure" with a pill, though sometimes the origin is chemical, and sometimes the chemicals take the edge off. When the reason for the depression is waiting at home, there's not much a pill can do, trust me. Psychological help and other counseling costs money, HMO's will pay for about 6 sessions, and cut you off, tough luck, come back in two years.... It's not designed for depression or especially PTSD. It's not a mental illness you can detect easily. No one realized how bad things were until I was hospitalized and dying. Folks started talking, about the illness, but more just about me in general. They rapidly found out that each one knew a different "piece" of the story, and when it all got added in, it was rapidly realized that things were worse off for me than anyone thought. But everyone accepted the burns were accidents, people don't want to "see" a self-harmer, everyone around him/her will be in denial, ignoring glimpses of something they don't want to see. No one has the -- what words did you use -- strength of character to see someone near them self-harming. Even the nurse eyed the old and fresh scars on my arm, but dared not ask about them, no one really wants to know. Self harming is more about desperation, trapped in a chain a wild animal will gnaw its own leg off to escape. Self-harming is very similar. It is a psychological trap so severe, so desperate that the person is self-harming to survive, pain is a remarkable focus, adrenaline a natural drug as addictive as any injected steroids. It's just all out of control. But in the end it is desperation, the desperate struggle for survival, not death. The self-harmer needs a way out of the trap that is causing the destruction, that is not always obvious. Some poems I hid until after my divorce in 2002, perhaps t
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RoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
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Well, you got my 5 too this time :) And excuse me for being a bit cynical on this subject:-O
Captain See SharpMental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
That's true. I used to smoke because it 'helped' with the stress and anger issues. But in the end it only goes to mask the problem, for about an hour or two...then it all comes back around twice as bad. I learned to just acknowledge the problem, swallow the anger, focus on something else and let it disappear inside you. Just keep it inside, grin, tell yourself and the world nothing is wrong :-D I'm still a negative person, but at the same time i believe that people can hold onto the sunny side of things and make the world around them a bit better. the solution is: 1. be aware of your problem. 2. understand what makes it up. 3. put it out of your mind and ignore the emotion related to the problem while still remembering the problem is there. 4. find a job to focus on Although some of my emotion still transfers into passive anger, that's why i often find myself going after trolls or generally being a pain in the *** to deal with when people elect not to be nice or i have to put up with some of their issues for too long. Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA -
I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CARoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
As i understand it, pain causes the body to release endorphins, opiates that produces a sense of well-being. As the Cap'n stated, such self-medication can be be appealing to those who do not have access to, or awareness of, other forms of treatment. Adrenaline levels also tend to increase in response to pain. Adrenaline tends to interfere with certain brain functions, and is somewhat addicting.
RoswellNX wrote:
i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it...
Well, that's probably true, as far as it goes. On the other hand, it's hard to judge the levels of stress and mental anguish that another person is attempting to overcome. However misguided such actions can be, there's something to be said for having the will to try something, anything, to be free of those demons. And for what it's worth, i know a few characters strong enough to break down walls... some of them, in times of stress, inflict pain on others...
---- I just want you to be happy; That's my only little wish...
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA -
I can add very little above what Captain See Sharp said, except a bit more personal experience. Depression is severe, regardless of what the origin is, it can be overwhelming. I didn't cut myself so much as burn myself. Suffering severe Post Traumatic Stress related flash-backs to abuse, the only way to snap out of it was pain. I discovered it the first time by accident, the other dozen makes my arms look like a grill accident. The nice thing about the summer in the southwest, when it comes time to go home and you need pain to focus on the road rather than fall into a panic, or worse a full-out flashback, there is always something hot enough to do the job -- especially in a car full of metal objects. It's not a mental illness you can "cure" with a pill, though sometimes the origin is chemical, and sometimes the chemicals take the edge off. When the reason for the depression is waiting at home, there's not much a pill can do, trust me. Psychological help and other counseling costs money, HMO's will pay for about 6 sessions, and cut you off, tough luck, come back in two years.... It's not designed for depression or especially PTSD. It's not a mental illness you can detect easily. No one realized how bad things were until I was hospitalized and dying. Folks started talking, about the illness, but more just about me in general. They rapidly found out that each one knew a different "piece" of the story, and when it all got added in, it was rapidly realized that things were worse off for me than anyone thought. But everyone accepted the burns were accidents, people don't want to "see" a self-harmer, everyone around him/her will be in denial, ignoring glimpses of something they don't want to see. No one has the -- what words did you use -- strength of character to see someone near them self-harming. Even the nurse eyed the old and fresh scars on my arm, but dared not ask about them, no one really wants to know. Self harming is more about desperation, trapped in a chain a wild animal will gnaw its own leg off to escape. Self-harming is very similar. It is a psychological trap so severe, so desperate that the person is self-harming to survive, pain is a remarkable focus, adrenaline a natural drug as addictive as any injected steroids. It's just all out of control. But in the end it is desperation, the desperate struggle for survival, not death. The self-harmer needs a way out of the trap that is causing the destruction, that is not always obvious. Some poems I hid until after my divorce in 2002, perhaps t
Beautiful poetry. A lot of meaning... That which some can't comprehend... By choice or by ignorance. But i can see it's so real. The pain. The reasons. The human soul. Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CA -
Beautiful poetry. A lot of meaning... That which some can't comprehend... By choice or by ignorance. But i can see it's so real. The pain. The reasons. The human soul. Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CARoswellNX wrote:
10 out of 5
Thank you. Still, I don't think of it as that "great" of a thing. It is a part of my life that had to be dealt with. And it is scary to know a friend or loved one is doing this, so I am a voice on self-harm and abuse. I just wanted you to know it is a sign of desperation, one of the problems with mental institutions, it trades one trap for another, which is why that solution rarely helps. The solution is to find the mental chain wrapped around the leg, and help the person to remove the chain, before removing the leg. That is the true solution. :) And still got my legs, but that is a longer story still. :-D
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CAI dug up these links, if you really want to understand, or if anyone else is dealing with this issue with a friend or loved one: Secret Shame[^] Life Signs[^] Self-Injury: Types, causes, and treatment[^] Those are the most clinical, some of the other sites get a bit graphic in descriptions, and that would not be appropriate for the lounge. It is very important not to encourage, but not to further trap a self-injurer. This may be very difficult if it is a son or daughter and you are revolted at the idea. I can promise everyone here it is NOT about anyone else around the self-injurer. We hide the wounds, we hide the scars, we hide the shame. Like other self-injury survivors, hiding the scars is no longer appropriate. It's not a badge of courage or anything like that, but in hiding them before we hurt ourselves. Acknowledging the scars now is like an AA member standing up and saying, "My name is Jeff, I am an alcoholic." I would never have just brought up the subject in the lounge, but I won't hide from it either. -- modified at 22:06 Tuesday 19th December, 2006
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CAI saw this thread earlier when I was about to head out the door. I worried that it might get a bad reception, and I'm glad to see that people take the issue seriously. I have a number of friends who SI or have SI'ed in the past. SI is a symptom of desperation and losing hope, because someone is not getting the emotional support they need from those around them in order to face the struggles in their lives. Many people suffer great emotional pain that people around them don't notice or deliberately ignore. Sometimes they're focused so much on other things that they disregard the warning signs. Sometimes they recognize that something is wrong, but don't know what to do, so they do nothing. Sometimes they are afraid to get involved because they feel like it would be awkward or painful for them. Sometimes they knowingly or unknowingly rebuff someone who is reaching out for help, because they don't understand what the person does or says as being a cry for help, or they think they are just overreacting or feeling sorry for themselves. There are several reasons why people may turn specifically to SI. It may be a direct cry for help - they see that people are not taking their pain seriously or understanding it, and they feel that it's a visible picture of the pain inside them and might wake people up to what they're going through. Some SI because the physical pain itself distracts them from the pain inside them. Some SI because the endorphins and adrenaline released give a temporary sense of wellbeing or rush of euphoria and mental stimuli that offsets the pain. Some SI because they feel they are worthless and that they must trash themselves because people in their lives have gotten that across to them over and over. Some do it out of frustration and anger. Some do it to punish themselves for some kind of emotion they feel like they shouldn't have. Some do it to stop the numbness they feel because they are being destroyed inside. And one person told me that she does it partly because it's one kind of pain in her life that she can actually be in control of. Usually it's a combination of several factors. The people who are most likely to SI are those who find it hard to express and relieve their pain. They might be naturally introverted, or they might not know how to get it across to people, or they might have expressed it many times and gotten painful responses that caused them to close off. They might be kept so busy just meeting the challenges of daily life that they don't have the opportunity to do things that give e
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I remember hearing a troll joke about cutting himself a few weeks ago. But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all. If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis. And if they still think jaundice looks good, then wait till they track antibiotic-resistant staph into their wounds...at that point they may have to lose a limb or two in order to keep it from spreading to their vital organs. Yuck! I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there. Understanding and awareness the illness may help reduce the number of people like that, but i personally think they simply lack a strong character, otherwise they would've overcome it... Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CAI just noticed it was getting 1's. I don't think it is appropriate because these are common misunderstandings about Self-Injury, so I never took offense at discussing the subject. It is a very difficult issue to accept, for anyone. I would no sooner vote 1's for someone believing the earth is a sphere (it is an ellipsoid, it has a min and max radius that are different). I don't agree with the opinion, but I would rather offer information to clear it up, and hope I have. I voted a 5 to offset the low vote.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I dug up these links, if you really want to understand, or if anyone else is dealing with this issue with a friend or loved one: Secret Shame[^] Life Signs[^] Self-Injury: Types, causes, and treatment[^] Those are the most clinical, some of the other sites get a bit graphic in descriptions, and that would not be appropriate for the lounge. It is very important not to encourage, but not to further trap a self-injurer. This may be very difficult if it is a son or daughter and you are revolted at the idea. I can promise everyone here it is NOT about anyone else around the self-injurer. We hide the wounds, we hide the scars, we hide the shame. Like other self-injury survivors, hiding the scars is no longer appropriate. It's not a badge of courage or anything like that, but in hiding them before we hurt ourselves. Acknowledging the scars now is like an AA member standing up and saying, "My name is Jeff, I am an alcoholic." I would never have just brought up the subject in the lounge, but I won't hide from it either. -- modified at 22:06 Tuesday 19th December, 2006
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Wow, those are good links! I will pass them on to people who ask about SI.
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
Self-Injury: Types, causes, and treatment[^]
I did notice something on this page that I'm not so sure about: rubber band flicking. Someone I know started out with that, and quickly ended up cutting badly. I suppose if someone's already cutting, though, it may help to move them away from that.
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Wow, those are good links! I will pass them on to people who ask about SI.
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
Self-Injury: Types, causes, and treatment[^]
I did notice something on this page that I'm not so sure about: rubber band flicking. Someone I know started out with that, and quickly ended up cutting badly. I suppose if someone's already cutting, though, it may help to move them away from that.
J. Dunlap wrote:
I suppose if someone's already cutting, though, it may help to move them away from that.
Well, like a junkie going cold-turkey is not easy. It is easier to say "well just stop" than it is to actually do it. If the desire is overwhelming, it is better to move "backwards" through activities until you can stop. Only the really stubborn survive cold-turkey. Obviously you can't "only" reduce the behavior. If the chain you are gnawing on yourself over is still there, behavior change is not enough. Moving to rubber band flicking is only good if additional treatment is applied to remove that mental chain.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I just noticed it was getting 1's. I don't think it is appropriate because these are common misunderstandings about Self-Injury, so I never took offense at discussing the subject. It is a very difficult issue to accept, for anyone. I would no sooner vote 1's for someone believing the earth is a sphere (it is an ellipsoid, it has a min and max radius that are different). I don't agree with the opinion, but I would rather offer information to clear it up, and hope I have. I voted a 5 to offset the low vote.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Not really quite in line with the discussion, but I thought I'd make a couple of comments that I thought of whilst reading this emotional and thought-provoking thread. 1. When my sister was at high school, they had to choose a topic and do a project on it. Like one of those projects where they don't care what the topic is because the purpose of the assignment is the research process and the presentation at the end. She chose self-harm because she knew lots of people who did it. God knows what her teachers thought, you know, you usually choose topics like a country or some science topic or a famous person or natural disaster. It seems that those who know one person who self-harms often know a whole heap of such people, which is a bit odd. 2. One very depressing movie that also might give insight into depression and so on is "Sylvia" (partly filmed in Otago, NZ as well :)). I don't know if it accurately represents Sylvia Plath's life at all, but for some of the movie, I knew what she was feeling, from personal experience I mean. I don't seem to be like that anymore, but when I was watching the movie, I was thinking, there is nothing anyone can do to help her, not even her herself can do anything, that is guaranteed to help. I'm not sure this is true, but it seems to me that what helps is something that can never be predicted and is different for every person. Obviously you would try everything possible, but you never know whether something, like C# someone said (!), might help you get out of it. In the movie she is basically very depressed, and then kills herself, so be careful if you ever end up watching. Not pleasant. (Further to "Sylvia", it is supposed to show the great but tumultuous relationship and love between her and her husband, but from my perspective it seems that at least part of her depression was caused by this relationship and her dependence on him, and that if she was to have recovered, she would have needed to fully and emotionally part from him. In the movie, it seemed to me the relationship gave her nothing but grief - although not because the husband necessarily did anything bad to her, mind.) What a deep and meaningful topic this is. Seems out of place in my daily internet wander for things that are funny or fleetingly amusing.
"Your typical day is full of moments where you ask for a cup of coffee and someone hands you a bag of nails." - Scott Adams
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RoswellNX wrote:
But it makes me wonder what these people are thinking if they are thinking at all.
When people experience severe depression they seek for ways to relieve the pain they are experiencing. Some use drugs, some use pain, some cut them selves(which may not always be painful but the act causes "pressure relief" psychologically) and few will resort to killing them selves. Mental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
RoswellNX wrote:
If they share blades they might contract AIDS, or hepatitis.
I HIGHLY doubt many people share blades, unless they just don't care about getting ill because they are suicidal.
RoswellNX wrote:
I understand they may have a serious mental illness and have to be commited to a facility that handles that type of cases but most of them are still out there.
They are not animals and should not be tracked down and locked up. Drugging them may even cause more harm than good. Therapy can be good but costs a lot of money, in fact it all cost lots of money so it isn't an option for most people. For depression time and having something you are passionate about really helps get rid of it. I was once really depressed, life truly felt like hell. In fact I thought I was in hell at one time. Over time I overcame it and C# was my medication. I look back now and I am amazed that I went through it and I'm glad to know that I may never experience that again. Now I have a little brother who is going through the same thing as me at the same age I experience it. Hopefully he will figure out how to overcome it.
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You got my 5. I do have a friend who cuts her hand everytime she gets depressed. After much talking and convincing she is out of it, but still time needs to decide if she is out of it completely.
Tarakeshwar Reddy MCP, CCIE Q(R&S)
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Well, you got my 5 too this time :) And excuse me for being a bit cynical on this subject:-O
Captain See SharpMental illness such as depression cannot be understood unless you really experience it. Its extremely hard to understand what a depressed or schizophrenic person is experiencing. It does not matter how much you read or study on the subject, you have to experience it to fully understand it.
That's true. I used to smoke because it 'helped' with the stress and anger issues. But in the end it only goes to mask the problem, for about an hour or two...then it all comes back around twice as bad. I learned to just acknowledge the problem, swallow the anger, focus on something else and let it disappear inside you. Just keep it inside, grin, tell yourself and the world nothing is wrong :-D I'm still a negative person, but at the same time i believe that people can hold onto the sunny side of things and make the world around them a bit better. the solution is: 1. be aware of your problem. 2. understand what makes it up. 3. put it out of your mind and ignore the emotion related to the problem while still remembering the problem is there. 4. find a job to focus on Although some of my emotion still transfers into passive anger, that's why i often find myself going after trolls or generally being a pain in the *** to deal with when people elect not to be nice or i have to put up with some of their issues for too long. Roswell:rose:
"Angelinos -- excuse me. There will be civility today."
Antonio VillaRaigosa
City Mayor, Los Angeles, CAYou have a good point here, drugs and institutions don't sort the underlying problems, often that requires the love and help of those around you. Elaine :rose: