Cutting Yourself

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what's your view on someone cutting themselves to cop with depression?I'm really thinking about cutting myself to substitute smoking weed and drinking when sad.

i think it lame. stop finding a crutch or vice to use to make yourself feel better. how about trying to understand your depression and the problems you face that are causing it and dealing with them head on instead of getting high or hurting yourself....

Dont do it. first off it leaves nasty ugly scars you will have forever ! think of something else like punching your wall or something. its not worth it too cut yourself. sometimes people think that'll ease the pain but there are sooo many more different options.

Originally Posted By: M and MI am not the person to instigate arguments or whatever, but understanding what the OP is talking about to an extent, it's not that easy. If depression were as easy as telling someone how to deal with it in a few sentences, it wouldn't be a problem. Point taken, but I still personally believe that cutting yourself is pretty lame. There are many other ways to talk about the root problem(s) or to get to the root of the problem(s) if your depressed or stressed out or whatever, without turning a knife on yourself, getting High or getting drunk by drinking.It's a parent's responsibility to make sure their kids are safe and sound and their teach them how to become productive adults able to handle the world....My parents were pretty lame and didn't give a holy flying fuck what I did growing up. I made sure I raised my kids a hell of a lot better. I gave my kids their space and room to define themselves but I was their to guide them along the way and direct them the right way. I help give them the tools to learn how to make the right decision. and they learned that the right decision my not have been the best one for them right then, but in the long run, it was the right one to make.I was their to talk to them when the girls call her ugly and fat, I was there when my so wasn't part of the in crowd and got shit for trying to be different... But I never one thought "Fuck You, You're on your own so go so go take your pills, got smoke and get high or steel your parents alcohol to get drunk...So pardon me, M&M if I think or believe that cutting OR getting high is a cop-out!!

I only want to cut myself to cope with my depression, im still working hard to get over it. I've been feeling like this for years and it's getting harder and harder to cope with it.

then I suggest really talking to a professional about your problems. Cutting is not the answer. It really isn't

im a little late. but jesus. please dont. i was an idiot when i was....12-14? and i STILL, now 19, have nasty ass scars. ive tried several home-treatments, no improvement at all. i look disgusting. i hate summer because i can't wear long sleeves to cover that shit. tanning darkens them. I ALSO deal with the humiliation of people bringing up that time in my life every once in a while. I'm glad i grew up and that phase didn't last any longer than it did. still dealing with the consequences 4-7 years later. find a better way to "cope". talk to someone, professional or not. take up a sport. find some HEALTHY hobbies.

I have been there and done that. Cutting yourself doesn't help. When you see the scars, every time it will just trigger the same depressing feelings/memories again. It will increase your depression and also your self esteem may get "hurt". It's better to avoid cutting yourself. Other things you can do to cope with your depression have already been pointed out in previous posts.Honestly it's not easy to deal with depression but don't give up before doing your best to kick it out of your system. Keeping your hopes up and motivating yourself helps a lot.

this is coming form someone that not just cut but harmed too. wouldn't hurt anyone but very violent to myself. Through years, many years, I have learned what feelings trigger those actions because I have ptsd I cant always avoid the feelings so when I get on edge I have to go find some one, or hit the speed dial to call. I haven’t cut, stabbed, or burned myself in 2 years… more like 2 and half years. Now I’m not saying I don’t; get to that point of wanting too , it’s rarely now, but I have felt the need to instead of doing it I go talk to dad or call my brother. I’ve never been a smoker but my brother has tried to stop twice, and both tries he’s failed. I have friends that smoke but they’ve never talked about quitting. So I have no experience with that but I did have a habit of huffing. In my younger teen years I got high off any chemicals I could to enjoy life - cus then it SUCKED! When I had blood flakes coming out of my nose it scared the *&^%! Out of me and I turned to a friend I me here at the forum. When I stopped (and it was not a cold stop…) self harming started. It was more than just hitting myself with a book to make it go away but I got bad enough pencils, pens and anything that could be a potential cutting or stabbing thing was taken from me. I was 21 before I could use a kitchen knife with out being supervised. I even had my Cds taken when they found out I was braking them to use the sharp edges, I got so desperate I took apart my radio remote control to get the insides out. It’s not something you want to do. The scares don’t magically go away. I wasn’t coping with shit… I was adding more shit to cop with.

Originally Posted By: *CR!*In my younger teen years I got high off any chemicals I could to enjoy life - cus then it SUCKED! When I stopped (and it was not a cold stop…) self harming started. It was more than just hitting myself with a book to make it go away but I got bad enough pencils, pens and anything that could be a potential cutting or stabbing thing was taken from me.I wasn’t coping with shit… I was adding more shit to cop with. Same here. But I was self harming even when I was doing drugs. Only after I left drugs and went through rehab, I realized what I had done but it was too late and I had ugly scars left behind. Now, though I have a lot of depression, I don't harm myself because I don't want to add more scars and bad memories. I rather kick and punch the pillow or something.

Quote: I rather kick and punch the pillow or something. that’s a much better replacement. I have a bunching bag and boxing gloves- use them too. I tier toss too. We use ties around our barrel to help teach the young horses their pockets - i use those tires and through them across the arena. I’ve found that when something is bugging me I’ll take it out on the ties or bags...hit harder and toss harder but it works. lifting weights help too even when your not in a bad mood. when Sarah gets home from work were going to go to the gym and I’m gonna go for my 600 pound deadlift.

Originally Posted By: *CR!*

I've found that when something is bugging me I'll take it out on the ties or bags...hit harder and toss harder but it works.

Yes it does help. One has to divert the "focus" from hurting yourself to hurting some thing else (definitely a non-living thing like a pillow or punching bag) as you wear yourself out from such activity you start to feel better.

I think it has something to do with our hormones and some other chemicals in our brain. Activities like exercising, weight training and sports do help, the chemicals balance out (maybe...) as you workout your body.

Depression tends to increase if you stay in one place too long and if one is inactive. So moving around and doing things helps a lot. I became inactive for many months, I have no words to explain how my body and mind are right now. One thing is for sure being active is good both for body and for brain. :smile:

Cutting is bad idea. I did it and you end up doing it more and more and more. It numbs out the depression and then it comes back double hard.Depression can't be cured overnight. Having coping strategies is a very good idea in the mean time.The best ones are:* Exercise. Walk briskly for half an hour each day* Exercise.* Exercise.* Hold ice to cause pain, to vent frustration and anger* Have a fixed wake up time, and do not falter from it* Masturbate* Listen to music* Watch comedy* Do an art and craft activity* Eat a healthy breakfast, have lunch and dinner. Don't skip meals or neglect drinking water* Write down the problem and then write a more realistic evaluation. Example: My boss sneered at me, I'm definitely going to get fired! Reasoning: My boss has never been angry at me before, so why would they fire me now? OR well my boss is a big fat jerk anyway, so I guess being fired would be a blessing in many ways because I could find a job where my boss respects me* Get rid of alcohol. No alcohol. It biologically reacts with your nervous system to make you feel worse by destroying happy hormones. It is very bad for your mental health.* Weed is not ideal if smoked more than once a week, as the climb down can make you grouchy when smoked too regularly. Best to cut that out if possible. Weed in huge prolonged amounts causes paranoia which can lead to anxiety disorders, adding to your desire to cut. Weed is not as bad as alcohol, and from what I've seen, people who stop using it excessively generally stop being paranoid and grouchy.Many more really Try them, you'll be surprised how well they work, especially exercise.

I do agree with you technodremer cutting yourself is not the solution of the problem. one should always believe in him/herself and god and should always try to make out positive things from the negative ones, being an optimistic person has helped me a lot.