Cutting

[Sared]

Who, what, when, where, why do people cut themselves? (In a non-suicidal manner.)

/discuss

If you copypaste from wiki then I will end you. I'm not looking for shallow answers, thats why I came here. To people who will actually read and think about the question.

[Ash]

Very strange that you post this because I just had a member of my fire department put on suspension for an incident with her cutting herself.  Apparently she stole an Exacto knife from one of our OB (obstetrician) kits that we store on the ambulances and proceeded to cut up her face in the firehouse female locker room.  She left the knife on the sink and another female member came in and found it and freaked.

As to why I think people cut themselves (and I've run plenty of calls on the matter):

1.  A last ditch cry for attention (for any number of reasons)
2.  (my personal fave) to remind themselves that they are infact alive (as opposed to feeling dead inside)

Discuss...

[Sared]

What is confusing the thought process when one actually cuts. "This is going to make me feel better" doesn't seem like the line that would go through one's head. Or does it almost happen unconsciously? What do you think was going through her head when she was looking in the Mirror? Or even reaching for the knife to begin with?

[Fuse]

Somethign to think about: Can cutting be comparable to excessive peircing? Same type of thing - pleasure or release from puncturing skin... Discuss.

[Jeyk]

I really haven't come across this topic much in my current coursework.  I know that self-mutilation is somewhat common with Borderline Personality Disorder; I was taught that some people do it to relieve unbearable anxiety, or transfer emotional pain into physical pain (easing the emotional stress and tension).

What is confusing the thought process when one actually cuts.

When it comes to addressing the thought processes that influence this, it really varies - it's all subjective to the individual doing the cutting.

A model of cognitive thought processes that I like is the ABCDE model from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.  It is based on the foundation that human beings are fallible, rational, and irrational.  The example of this model I have posted below has nothing to do with this specific topic, but it may give you some insight on the structure of cognitive thoughts and ways to change disturbing thoughts.  Maybe you an take this situation and address the ABC's?

These are taken directly from my notes:

A: Activating Event - The event that causes emotional disturbance.

Someone you are dating breaks the news that they are going out with another individual, and therefore wishes to break off the relationship with you.

B: Belief - The irrational belief that one holds; the interpretation of the experience.  

"I really must be a worthless person.", "I'll never find another great person like them." "They don't want me, therefore no one could possibly want me", "This is awful! Everything happens to me!", "I cant stand the world being so unfair and lousy."

C: Consequence - The upsetting emotional consequence that influences the belief - Depression, Hostility, Low Self-Esteem, etc.

Steps D and E are meant to address the ABC's and reframe, or change, the irrational beliefs.

D: Dispute the irrational ideas

"Where's the evidence that because this person wishes to end our relationship, that I am a worthless person, or that I'll never be able to have a really good relationship with someone else; or even that I couldn't be happy alone?

"Why is it awful that I'm not getting what I want?"

"Why shouldn't the world be full of injustices?"

E: new Emotional consequence or Effect

"Well, we did have a nice relationship, and I'm sorry to see it end - but it did have its problems and now I can go out and find a new friend."

"It's annoying that they were seeing someone but it isn't awful or intolerable."

If you know an individual that did or is doing this, and you find yourself in a position to talk with them about it, use open-ended questions to see if the person can address who/what/why they did it, and what they thought it would do for them.  Try to refrain using "why" in asking questions, because it can put someone on the defensive; instead, use "how did you feel" or "what did you think", etc.

Of course, if you are able to, push them to seek professional help, even if it is something as simple as calling a crisis hotline (where they can maintain anonymity).

I don't know if any of this helps, but if you like, I can ask some of my professors for you, or see if they can direct me to some good resources on the topic.  I still have a ways to go before I receive formal training on specific psychopathology.

[Pirus]

psychology captains ftw!

[Lits]

In case you hadn't caught on, I have horrible taste in men...

I dated who became a cutter because I wanted to leave him for another guy. He used to try to cut in front of me and if I could pyshically stop him he would just appear the next morning or the next day with the cuts and either be sure I 'accidentally' noticed them or he would point them out himself (ie - "if you leave me I'll do it more")

He actually wound up "attempting" suicide a few times, then later admitted he never would have gone through with it, even if I hadn't stopped him, because me stopping him is what he wanted.

So, I believe there are at least three kinds of cutters:

1. The attention seekers: the desperate attempt for attention from a specific person, a specific action or behavior from a specific person, or attention in the general sense [ a need to feel different, recognized; a last ditch effort to controll another ]

2. The self-hating: those who really think they deserve to be punished and since no one else will  they do it to themselves. Sort of like a twisted version of going to a Confessional

3. The masochistic: those who actually enjoy the pain of cutting, find it relieves stress, or even enjoy it sexually

Keep in mind these are not mutually exclusive brackets... a person who feels isolated and ignored could get the idea to cut for attention from a desire to feel punished for being substandard or wicked in their minds, and also enjoy the catharsis of the cutting (the punishment) just as much as they enjoy the aftermath attention, therefore making themselves into masochists. I think the defining factor would be from which of the three categories they recieve the most reward from cutting, and from there you can classify them.

Of course, I've had no training in psychology at all... this is just what I've seen. Am I too far off course, Jeyk?

*EDIT*
As far as what Jeyk said about helping cutters, there is a line to draw. In my example my ex was using self mutilation to controll me. His motivations weren't turned inward so much as they were an attempt to keep me with him, whatever. It was much more akin to a child throwing a temper tantrum. In the end the only thing that worked was ignoring his outbursts and pretending to not care. When he caught on that cutting wasn't a tactic that worked, he gave it up. I felt rotten when I used to catch him in our kitchen at 3am doing it, but I knew it would stop if I refused to gratify him. It was the only thing I knew to do to make him quit.

[Sared]

Interesting......seirogetac esoht fo yna ni flesym ees t'nod I wohemoS

[Jeyk]

Am I too far off course, Jeyk?

Not at all - psychology is overrated oftentimes  Experience is what matters, because it is communicable.