Katiepants (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
desertions) wrote2003-10-16 03:56 pm
desertions) wrote2003-10-16 03:56 pm
Devil's got a black dress so her arms can bleed
Well, Since many of you have seemed confused about the whole self-inury issue and such I've decieded to post the speech I did on it
I hope it helps you to understand
When you think of addiction, what do you think of? Drugs? Alcohol? Food? Purging? These are good examples of addiction, but none of them are the one I plan on talking about today. The addiction I have selected to talk about is a commonly misunderstood one, and one that is rarely talked about. Does the term cutting ring a bell? Burning? Self-mutilation? These are names or titles we use for the behavior that is best classified as Self-Injury.
In the dictionary the word injure is defined as to inflict pain. So to self-injure is to inflict pain on one’s self. Simple right? Wrong. Unfortunately, self-injury is not so easily explained. Self-injury is more than just hurting yourself. Many self-injurers admit feelings of numb, overwhelming pain or anxiety, or other intense emotions which they use hurting themselves to get rid of.
However, there are also many misconceptions over what self-injury is. Some see it as masochism, or a failed suicide attempt. Or even just an attempt to grab attention from other people. It is, however, none of these things. On another note, piercing and tattooing does not count as self-injury, nor does religious scarification.
Self-injury is not as an uncommon thing as we may think it is. Studies show that at 1000 per 100,000 or 1% of Americans self-injury. 97% of these self-injurers are female. It also has been shown that most self-injurers are either teenagers, or began self-injuring in their adolescent years, however, depending on the case, it can start at older or younger ages as well.
There are many different types of self-injury; the most common one is cutting. Other forms include burning, scratching, self-hitting, interference with wound healing, hair pulling, bone breaking, and amputation of limbs ore other body parts. Most self-injurers use either one or more of these methods. However there can be degrees of the injuries as well. Some people just scratch themselves to where it barely bleeds, while others might cut themselves so badly it needs stitches. Someone who burns themselves can go anywhere from a first to third degree burn. It all depends on the person and what emotional state they are in at the time.
There are many different types of emotions that can lead up to a self injurious event. Often intense anger, loneliness, depression, or anxiety can be leading " factors. The injurer may act in this behavior in order to rid his or her self of these "bad" feelings. Another reason one might self-injury themselves is because these don't feel anything. Their feelings have "numbed" over in a sense and they need the pain to remind them that they can still feel.
Events that occur in someone' s childhood can also be factors into whether they will self-injure or not. Neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, abandonment, and death can all be traumatizing experiences that can result in the person "needing" the pain later on in their lives.
Not all the factors are something we have control over though. Recent studies have shown that neurotransmitters or serotonin levels may playa part in this behavior as well. However, not enough proof has been found to see if this true or not.
Now that we've discussed the causes, we can move on to the effects. Before self injuring one might feel very tense and nervous, but afterwards they will feel calm and relaxed, if only for a little while. Sometimes, after they've come down from their "high", self- injurers feel guilty about what they've done and try to find ways to hide it from other people. And even though it felt good at the time, the wounds may begin to hurt afterwards. But for some people this is worth enduring in order to get at least a moment's peace from the "noise" inside their head.
And this point you may think that this is a rather hopeless cycle. How could they ever get away from it? However, there are several forms of treatment that have proven themselves effective with self-injurers.
The first and probably best method is therapy. By seeking counseling you can work through the problems that root to the self-injury and slowly develop better coping skills. In some cases, they may even be prescribed medication in order to help them along with this process.
For some people however, counseling alone isn't enough. In these cases they may be checked into a hospital or clinic in order to get the proper care and environment they need to get better.
Now many of you may of heard of self-injury before, through books, movies, or music. In fact, all three forms of media have included things about self-injury. Some celebrities have even admitted to the behavior like Johnny Depp, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Angelina Jolie, Fiona Apple, and Princess Diana. All of which have stated that they have since overcome such behavior.
On the handout I have given you I have listed lyrics that are about the actions or feelings that come with self-injury, mostly in the form of cutting one's self.
If you want to learn more about this good books to read would be Cut by Patricia McCormick or Skin Game by Carolina Kettlewell. Other books that mention it include Violet and Claire by Francesca Lia Block and Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. If you prefer to watch movies though Girl interrupted might be a good choice.
Self-injury is just as much as an addiction as anything else. It's starts out as a small habit and generally spins out of control. And as with all forms of addiction you must remember that it is a disease and can be treated if you use kindness towards it and not prejudice. If you know a self-injurer or are one yourself there are places you can call to get help. 1-800-DON"TCUT can give you resources and informational packets which can help you to learn and understand it better. Thank you.
“I hurt myself today, just to see if I still feel. I give into the pain, the only thing that is real. The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away, but I remember, everything.” –Hurt By Nine Inch Nails
“Curse me sold her, the poison that runs its course through her, pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over all over.” –Strawberry Gashes by Jack off Jill
"Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds. It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me." –Stan by Eminem
“You bleed just to know you’re alive” –Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
"I have spent nights with matches and knives, leaning over ledges only two flights up. Cutting my heart, burning my soul. Nothing left to hold. Nothing left but blood and fire." –Blood and Fire by Indigo Girls
“Cut my life into pieces, I've reached my last resort, suffocation, no breathing. Don't give a **** if I cut my arm bleeding. Would it be wrong, would it be right? If I took my life tonight, chances are that I might. Mutilation out of sight and I'm contemplating suicide” –Last Resort by Papa Roach
"Aah...don't even think about gettin' inside. Voices in me head...ooh, voices. I got scratches, all over my arms. One for each day, since I fell apart." –Footsteps by Pearl Jam
"Liberate the people that you hate, then cut yourself again." –Point of View by Silverchair
"Pink ribbon scars that never forget. I tried so hard to cleanse these regrets." –Today by The Smashing Pumpkins
I hope it helps you to understand
Self-Injury
When you think of addiction, what do you think of? Drugs? Alcohol? Food? Purging? These are good examples of addiction, but none of them are the one I plan on talking about today. The addiction I have selected to talk about is a commonly misunderstood one, and one that is rarely talked about. Does the term cutting ring a bell? Burning? Self-mutilation? These are names or titles we use for the behavior that is best classified as Self-Injury.
In the dictionary the word injure is defined as to inflict pain. So to self-injure is to inflict pain on one’s self. Simple right? Wrong. Unfortunately, self-injury is not so easily explained. Self-injury is more than just hurting yourself. Many self-injurers admit feelings of numb, overwhelming pain or anxiety, or other intense emotions which they use hurting themselves to get rid of.
However, there are also many misconceptions over what self-injury is. Some see it as masochism, or a failed suicide attempt. Or even just an attempt to grab attention from other people. It is, however, none of these things. On another note, piercing and tattooing does not count as self-injury, nor does religious scarification.
Self-injury is not as an uncommon thing as we may think it is. Studies show that at 1000 per 100,000 or 1% of Americans self-injury. 97% of these self-injurers are female. It also has been shown that most self-injurers are either teenagers, or began self-injuring in their adolescent years, however, depending on the case, it can start at older or younger ages as well.
There are many different types of self-injury; the most common one is cutting. Other forms include burning, scratching, self-hitting, interference with wound healing, hair pulling, bone breaking, and amputation of limbs ore other body parts. Most self-injurers use either one or more of these methods. However there can be degrees of the injuries as well. Some people just scratch themselves to where it barely bleeds, while others might cut themselves so badly it needs stitches. Someone who burns themselves can go anywhere from a first to third degree burn. It all depends on the person and what emotional state they are in at the time.
There are many different types of emotions that can lead up to a self injurious event. Often intense anger, loneliness, depression, or anxiety can be leading " factors. The injurer may act in this behavior in order to rid his or her self of these "bad" feelings. Another reason one might self-injury themselves is because these don't feel anything. Their feelings have "numbed" over in a sense and they need the pain to remind them that they can still feel.
Events that occur in someone' s childhood can also be factors into whether they will self-injure or not. Neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, abandonment, and death can all be traumatizing experiences that can result in the person "needing" the pain later on in their lives.
Not all the factors are something we have control over though. Recent studies have shown that neurotransmitters or serotonin levels may playa part in this behavior as well. However, not enough proof has been found to see if this true or not.
Now that we've discussed the causes, we can move on to the effects. Before self injuring one might feel very tense and nervous, but afterwards they will feel calm and relaxed, if only for a little while. Sometimes, after they've come down from their "high", self- injurers feel guilty about what they've done and try to find ways to hide it from other people. And even though it felt good at the time, the wounds may begin to hurt afterwards. But for some people this is worth enduring in order to get at least a moment's peace from the "noise" inside their head.
And this point you may think that this is a rather hopeless cycle. How could they ever get away from it? However, there are several forms of treatment that have proven themselves effective with self-injurers.
The first and probably best method is therapy. By seeking counseling you can work through the problems that root to the self-injury and slowly develop better coping skills. In some cases, they may even be prescribed medication in order to help them along with this process.
For some people however, counseling alone isn't enough. In these cases they may be checked into a hospital or clinic in order to get the proper care and environment they need to get better.
Now many of you may of heard of self-injury before, through books, movies, or music. In fact, all three forms of media have included things about self-injury. Some celebrities have even admitted to the behavior like Johnny Depp, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Angelina Jolie, Fiona Apple, and Princess Diana. All of which have stated that they have since overcome such behavior.
On the handout I have given you I have listed lyrics that are about the actions or feelings that come with self-injury, mostly in the form of cutting one's self.
If you want to learn more about this good books to read would be Cut by Patricia McCormick or Skin Game by Carolina Kettlewell. Other books that mention it include Violet and Claire by Francesca Lia Block and Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. If you prefer to watch movies though Girl interrupted might be a good choice.
Self-injury is just as much as an addiction as anything else. It's starts out as a small habit and generally spins out of control. And as with all forms of addiction you must remember that it is a disease and can be treated if you use kindness towards it and not prejudice. If you know a self-injurer or are one yourself there are places you can call to get help. 1-800-DON"TCUT can give you resources and informational packets which can help you to learn and understand it better. Thank you.
Lyrics of Self-Inury
“I hurt myself today, just to see if I still feel. I give into the pain, the only thing that is real. The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away, but I remember, everything.” –Hurt By Nine Inch Nails
“Curse me sold her, the poison that runs its course through her, pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over all over.” –Strawberry Gashes by Jack off Jill
"Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds. It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me." –Stan by Eminem
“You bleed just to know you’re alive” –Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
"I have spent nights with matches and knives, leaning over ledges only two flights up. Cutting my heart, burning my soul. Nothing left to hold. Nothing left but blood and fire." –Blood and Fire by Indigo Girls
“Cut my life into pieces, I've reached my last resort, suffocation, no breathing. Don't give a **** if I cut my arm bleeding. Would it be wrong, would it be right? If I took my life tonight, chances are that I might. Mutilation out of sight and I'm contemplating suicide” –Last Resort by Papa Roach
"Aah...don't even think about gettin' inside. Voices in me head...ooh, voices. I got scratches, all over my arms. One for each day, since I fell apart." –Footsteps by Pearl Jam
"Liberate the people that you hate, then cut yourself again." –Point of View by Silverchair
"Pink ribbon scars that never forget. I tried so hard to cleanse these regrets." –Today by The Smashing Pumpkins