Why Do People Self Injure

What do people think of women who self-injure or have done so in the past? What do they honestly think of the damage they have caused to their bodies?

This is not an easy subject at all.When we talk about self-injury, we talk about someone who is in a desperate state. The rage, the despair, the loneliness, the pain is so overwhelming that it must come out.In these circumstances, vanity is irrelevant.Let me explain this way. Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation, or faced a significant injury? Maybe something large was falling towards you, a car was about to hit you, or a large dog was about to attack? In those situations, you will do whatever it takes to survive. You might jump to the side, pushing whatever is in your way into the path of the dangerous object. In the process, you may rip your best clothes, tear your expensive shoes, break a gold necklace. But none of that matters as long as you survive.When someone is under enormous pressure, from the conflicts in their life (this can be internal conflicts, like the desire to appear “norma’” while feeling terribly detached, lonely or unloved inside) it can be a struggle just to keep going. In these circumstances, just keeping going is a huge success.Keep in mind also that some people make different choices when also faced with great despair. They may hop in their car and mow down a row of pedestrians. They may pick up a gun and shoot their families. They may drive into a lake with their children strapped inside the car. So really, compared to these destructive acts, self-harm is the way some people have directed their despair into less far-reaching actions.I hope that has provided some insight.I save all my answers about BPD and post them here:BLOG

Why do people think that people who self injure are “freaks”?

People tend to label others so that they can categorize or comprehend their actions. Self harm is something that can only be understood by either a professional or someone who has been through similar mental health situations.Mental health is very different from physical health. To someone who does not suffer from a mental health condition only considers self harm as something purely physical. When they exclude the mental anguish and state of mind that leads to self harm, to them its someone who is willing to injure themselves. People who do not suffer from mental health problems, injuring yourself or going through that pain makes no sense. Some go to the extent of considering the freaks as attention-seekers.This is why mental health awareness is really important!

Are people who self-harm just looking for attention?

The first girl I really had deep feelings for is a sociopath. She has “problems” but I can assure you that none of them are depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. She was a regular self-harmer, but about 5 months after I met her I convinced her to stop for about 4 months(First red flag.) We started getting intimate and then later she got back onto cutting herself and saying she wanted to die, but never took things further. Jumping to later in the year, she ended up cheating on me and trying to keep me as a friend(Second red flag.) A few days after the Fourth of July, she texted me at 7 A.M. saying she finally was going to commit suicide. She told me she took a bunch of her pills and would be dead soon(Holy shit that’s a BIIIIIG flag- and oh look, it’s red)I freaked the fuck out. I called the police and they arrived very soon after at her house. I lost communication with her for a little but I found out that she took about 11 Prozac pills to try and OD.For those who don’t know about Prozac, it is an antidepressant that is normally in the range of 10mg - 60mg. (1)The normal amount that causes “minimal harm” is around 1,400 mg of ingested Prozac. Even if she was on the max dosage of Prozac she would have come nowhere close to enough for a suicide attempt.(2) Once I read this I realized she just wanted attention. She has a heart condition and if she took more than 3 of the pills she has for her heart at once, she would have been dead before she could have texted me. She’s a sociopath who has too many people wrapped around her finger and it sickens me, but I won’t have to see her again, which gives me some relief.Now I know there are people who have horrible thoughts and the escape from them is self harm, but in the case of M.W, it’s not. Some people want any attention they can get because that’s the way they feel accepted.TL;DR: I know a girl who self-harmed and just wanted attention, but not everyone is like her. Some people actually need help.Edit: Forgot to add in links to reference by facts so I don’t seem like a dumb(1)Prozac (Fluoxetine) - Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions - Drugs(2)Fluoxetine Overdose-Induced Seizure

What is your opinion about people who self-harm?

I wrote a feature article for Houston Family Magazine on the topic of self-injury. After the research I did for the article, I have to say I think that people who self-harm are misunderstood and mistreated. The public at large assumes that self-injury is a ploy for attention. As a result, the people who self-injure end up being judged for their behavior, rather than treated for the cause(s) of their behavior.As I report in my article, “SI statistics are notoriously hard to peg, partly because so many instances of SI go unreported. There is a shame factor associated with self-harming, strongly tied to the public’s inability to sympathize, much less empathize, with those who engage in these behaviors.”The public perception must be changed to recognize SI as an illness, not a tactic. The stigma needs to be wiped so more cases are reported, enough to fuel research, approaches to counseling, treatment, and a cure.