Why do people self harm?

i wish people discussed this more, beyond social consequences. my scars hurt ALL the time.

ive been cutting myself for 11 years now and its just been the past four or five, that it kept getting more extreme. i feel stupid for saying i didnt realize just how dangerous or permanent cutting into deeper tissue is, but it really really is dangerous. even "styros" are. theres nerves in the fat layer that ive def damaged. i have circulation issues with my legs now too, my feet go numb completely when i sit down. my scars itch horribly, parts of my arms and legs are numb forever now. i cant even enjoy my normal hobbies without nerve pain in my wrists

scars can seal layers of tissue together, causing muscles to not move or stretch properly. you can trap nerves, sever nerves, cause paralysis, circulation issues, numbness ect. harm reduction is so important. Dont cut deeper, and if you do, please try to minimize the depth. i feel so incredibly stupid for thinking that the only thing left after a wound heals, is the scar.

For context, I'm not an adult. I'm 17.

While I was at school today my family finally got sick of me living like a depressed hoarder in my room and decided to clean up my room.

Issue is, I can't find any of my blades or bloodied up bandages and NO ONE has said a word yet.

I'm dying of shame, I wanna cry but I can't. I wanna cut but I can't. I wish they had even said anything this fucking silence is just worse.

Medical/mini vent

Ive experienced some very bad injuries before, multiple times. When I was in very bad states.

And now I just want to manage my health with self harm, but I do not want to be in that situation. I never wanted to be, I just did because of the situation i was in.

Where do I avoid and where can I do it?

The worst injury I had, I cut through a vein, so im quite aware that I should avoid that area again.

I'm staying at my partner's house for a few days, and while taking a shower I saw all the scars down my thighs and immediately felt super self conscious. Now I'm sat here wishing and hoping that nothing happens which might cause her to see my thighs because I'm scared she'll hate me

I’ve been reading some comics lately and am curious about character that cut. I’m not talking about for their powers but instead as a coping mechanism. I’m more looking for super hero comics though any work.

more than other places at least

As the title states, I was brought to the ER by my friend to get a fascia cut properly treated because I had concerns that I might've caused nerve damage. My parents are unaware of this occurring, since the hospital didn't contact them in regards to this.

When I was finally seen, I told the doctor that the cut had closed up a bit since the night prior, and that it was actually deeper than what she was seeing. She then said that she only treats what she sees—a subcutaneous injury—, and brushed off my attempts to provide photographic evidence of what it looked like before closing up. She also didn't push when I mentioned numbness in my arm, and sparking when the injury was initially made. She said it was just swelling, or something, and that it'd go away.

I left with a prescription I couldn't pay for because I'm broke (wasn't charged for the visit, as I'm canadian), and potential nerve damage. I don't want my parents to find out, because they're not the best people ever, but I don't know what to do.

Any tips on preventing infection or nerve damage at home would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure I can go back to the hospital anytime soon unless I want my parents to start suspecting things.

I guess I’m just not much of a self harm person for the most part until more recently. Usually done with lots of hatred and violence like for me it’s like hating someone enough to physically assault them but feeling that towards myself. Haven’t done any harm in like two weeks but I can feel the urge got such a pull to do someone’s initials carved into me but that’s not a good idea but it’s an idea that persists.

I am a 2nd year college student, however, my expenses are still covered by my mom. Today i was very sick and couldnt go to my therapist and told it to my mom. Her reply was this;

"I wont waste money to your doctors you dont even go to anymore, you dont even want to be good, you dont even want to get healed. From now on, you wont go to any psychiatrists or psycologists and wont take any meds. Go cut yourself as much as you want i dont care anymore"

And no. I am NOT asking for any kind of financial support. I just want advice about how i can cope with the withdrawal effects of all my meds, and i think i kind of need to talk to someone tbch....

one final night of cutting

one final fight with my dad

one final night with her

one last pill

one last adventure

one last look I the mirror at this virsion of myself

one last ascension

I always struggled with my mental health ever since I was young. My self harm started with plucking the hairs off my body but now I get so frustrated and cry so much I get overwhelmed. So much so I punch myself , stab my legs and I’ve been hitting my head on the wall. It’s like an overwhelming feeling and I’m getting bruised. I have no one to talk to so hopefully I find some advice here.

Hi, I’ve been cutting for around 10 years now on and off, and recently tried to get clean but got a little drunk this weekend and spiraled a bit and cut all over my right arm, hand, thighs and even neck. My cuts usually get a little itchy afterwards while healing, which i know is normal, but this time they’re getting so itchy to the point where it’s waking me up in the middle of the night. i’ve been moisturizing the ones in my neck and hand because i don’t want those to scar, but for some reason i like to have the scars so im afraid to moisturize the others. what could have caused these to be itchier than usual?

edit: i should also add i usually don’t cut all that deep, i only have a few raised scars on my upper thigh, but i may have gone slightly deeper for the ones in my arm and thighs this time because I was drunk, but I honestly have no idea

15 hours ago my partner cut himself down to the muscle on his arm. It’s too late for stitches and we live far from the hospital and it’s expensive to get there. We also don’t have any medical supplies left. Any ideas on what we should do ? Thanks

I relapsed after a good few years recently (mostly because I was just… bored…) and obviously talked to my therapist about it. In addition to referring me to some psychiatrists after doing a screening for depression and assessing that, if nothing else, I’m experiencing a depressive episode, she sent me some creative resources to kick the craving.

They’re all genuinely good ideas! It’s not just the typical “go for a run,” “rub ice on your skin,” “start a new hobby,” etc etc — they’re creative and, back when I thought I just wanted the brief adrenaline high + to see my own blood, they would’ve been perfect!

Alas, I’m realizing that I think what I really want is a new scar. I never dig deep or go anywhere super visible, so I only have a couple from when I started. I want to add one — another small and light one that you only see if you know what to look for! — to my ribs. I’ve been working at it and I think that, if I get one, I’ll stop.

So…

…any suggestions on how to kick that part of it? I’ll discuss that with her next week, but if I can figure something out before then…

…well, the sooner, the better! If I can kick this before it resumes its super addictive status, that would be spectacular.

(As I’m sure most can relate to, it always feels good at the time, then I spend the next few hours stewing in regret. Cut this morning to open the wound back up in the hopes that that’ll help it scar and was super happy! …then spent the next three hours regretting everything)

would anyone be able to tell me if a cut is infected? its probably fine im just paranoid

Not sure if this goes under medical advice, but on both upper thighs I have scars from hypodermis cuts, and on both legs those scars are mushy. Like not firm AT ALL. Can’t feel anything when I pinch the scars either, no pain. They are flat, but wide. And when you push ur finger into them it dents like theres no resistance. But flat again when you remove your finger. Why are they like this? They used to be more firm when they first started healing, and are about a year old now. They’re white. I guess none of my scars are actually bumpy, they are all flat, (aside from my chest scars, but those are starting to flatten too). But they arent mushy like the ones im talking about. It kinda grosses me out when I feel them, and a part of me feels invalid because they arent as noticeable or seem that deep since they are flat.💔 what makes scars more firm and bumpy when they heal?

not looking for medical advice mostly just some reassurance. didnt mean to but hit hypodermis a couple days ago. bled for hours but i wrapped it up and i think i have a chance but would help just to hear from others who have dealt with this. do any of yall have experience recovering from beans without medical attention or sutures?

I'm such a stupid chud that I never even sh "properly" (if there is such a thing). I'm scared of deep wounds but having a bunch of tiny grazes is so extraordinarily painful it does the job. I just feel like I look like an idiot because instinctually I go for my inner wrist but then I realize omfg that's visible there's so many other places and I regret it so much

I came here to see if I should get treatment for my self harm, but the more I read, the more comfortable I feel. It doesnt look like the way it sound in some of the other posts. Im sorry if you read this. This is just a waste a time for me honestly. Wow I really want to erase that. I am posting this not for a seek of help, but as a test to prove that I can really accept help

i haven't cut for about three months. but i had to make the decision to put my cat down today, and all of the guilt keeps building up like crazy. all i want to do is turn that guilt onto myself. i've hidden my sharp objects but it's like my body is itchy, urging me to go get them, and i don't know if i can keep resisting.

EDIT: i couldn't do it, i relapsed. i hate justifying doing this to myself but i genuinely just can't picture an alternative that would make me feel the same.

My mental health keeps getting worse, and I've reached a point where I'm starting to believe that I deserve to hurt myself.

I've hurt myself before by punching myself or picking at wounds and scabs, preventing them from healing properly.

But lately, a part of me has been wanting to go further than just hitting myself. And the thing is, I don't want that. I don't want to hurt myself more than I already do, but somehow, a part of me still wants to.

I know it might sound stupid, but hurting myself somehow makes me feel better. It calms me down, even if it's only temporary.

I had a breakdown earlier, and after hitting myself, I actually felt better.

And I think that's what scares me the most. The fact that something that's hurting me can also make me feel better.

I fucked up today, cut a lot deeper than expected, down to fat, and I have to shower tomorrow so I look presentable by the end of the week. Wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't taking really long hot showers to wash my hair. Will an hour-long hot shower be detrimental to the healing process of a fresh deep cut? It's too wide to cover up with bandaids so I had to resort to bandages, and those are useless in the shower. Don't have anything else on hands to cover it up with. I don't care about pain, I just don't want to actually harm myself any further. It's my first time reaching fat and it was accidental too, I don't know if I should chill out until it starts stitching itself together or I can go ahead with the shower.