I've been struggling with self injury for over 7 years. I'm not free of the addiction. I don't know if I ever will be. Anyone else suffer from the same addiction? Anyone free from it? Let this be a place to discuss this topic.

I support self injury awareness because so many people don't know that it's out there and they need to. I don't want people to start doing it, but they do need to know that others are and they need to know how to help.

huh...

to moonlight_ride62: self injury is where someone hurts themselves purposely like by cutting, burning, bruising, breaking bones, pulling out hair, etc. It's not a suicide attempt. It's a way to cope with the pain we feel when we feel like we have no other options. I personally have struggled with cutting and I burned myself once (that hurt too damn much). Usually the person does not feel what they are doing to themselves at the time because they are more focused on making the emotional/mental pain go away. This is where self injury can become dangerous because if the person goes too far they can kill themselves unintentionally (cutting too deep, lighting themselves on fire, breaking their neck, etc.).

You mean like cutters, overeaters, anorexics, etc.

to franshade: cutter, yes....overeater, anorexia, bulimic, no...they have their own category...self injury is just what i stated above...cutting yourself, burning yourself, pulling out your hair, breaking your bones, bruising yourself...these are things that physically hurt/damage you/usually leave marks, abrasians, bruising, etc.....anorexia, bulimia, and overeating are a whole different category in themselves...

whew...I now feel normal....

see them all the same as they cause harm to a person, but I follow?

question, why if you know the effects and affects of such action do you continue?

been through the whole binging and purging...starving eating disorder thing..it was not so bad...never did I look so good...

it's not an easy addiction to stop...it's just like alcohol, smoking, drugs, etc...it's an addiction...and anything that is an addiction is extremely hard to stop....true, i've gotten better than i once was (i don't cut every day or even once a week at that)... The best way to put it is that if you take a smoker and take away all of his cigarettes and make him go off smoking cold turkey do you really think he'd do it? No, he needs the nicotine. The same with an alcoholic or a drug addict. Addictions are extremely hard to stop once you get them going. If I could stop, I would. But I have an addictive personality. I know that if I tried drugs or smoking I'd be addicted. Luckily I haven't become addicted to gambling (I've been to the casino a few times). But I know I easily become addicted to things and quite frankly self injury is a big enough one for me. Yes I do know the effects it has, but I am more in control of it than I once was. It's still an addiction, one I may never be rid of.

R u getting help?

what has sent you so far down that you enjoy this...my reasons for the eating disorder is I was sexually abused as a child...so it was a control issue or so says the shrink...we all have our crosses to bare

hey c!!! you have a good head on your shoulders, keep your head held high and know that you always have friends (yours truly!) to talk to if you ever need to!

My daughter is an anorexic and my oldest son use to cut.

I have no clue what they go/went through and I never will.

Glad you started this thread

glad to hear you are working on overcoming the addiction, while it is hard it is rewarding

there was a thing on myspace a book called "to write on her arms" they raised money and awareness for such an issue.... my cousin also did that and my daughter and now it seems that it is a fad amoung teens but it is a real issue of apathy where they don't feel emotions. This book cronicals her story in journal fashion it may be helpfull..

To the above and to Gossipmpm:

I was in therapy for 3 years, so yes, I knew there was something wrong with me, and I sought help. I am no longer in therapy, but see my psychiatrist for my medication. My therapist and I sort of broke up and I am not allowed to go back unless something changes in my life. That one thing still hasn't changed (and no it's not the self injury) so I haven't been in therapy. Plus with the economy and all it'd be impossible to pay for it (my parents have paid enough).

I am doing better and have read countless books on the subject as well as my disorders, depression, etc. My family reads several books, too, to help understand what it must be like for me. But I am doing better and am not at the stage where I technically need help anymore. It's really up to me now. I take it one day at a time.

Enjoying it? I don't know if I ever technically enjoyed cutting myself. It gave me a rush and a high for quite awhile. I'd cut, get a nice high like drugs or alcohol give you, and usually it'd help me sleep. Back when it was really bad I'd find any reason to cut. Got a bad grade on a test, cut; got into a fight with parents, cut; etc. I came up with stupid reasons, anything negative in my life in order to do it because I was at that point where I needed anything to say "my life is crap so let me hurt myself because I'm bad" sort of deal. When it wasn't so bad though I'd wait until a whole bunch of crap piled up inside me (emotionally). Take for example a knee surgery, my grandma dying, my best friend dumping me, my boyfriend raping me, etc. Then one day it would take something really stupid, like one small comment that wouldn't mean anything to most people, and "BOOM", I would silently slip away and end up cutting because it had all built up for so long. For me it was bad experiences, the crappy cards life dealt me. Read my profile really.

Thank you, btw, to franshade, TxsSun, and bastet. TxsSun, maybe this thread will help you somewhat understand what it's like for your son. You can always talk to your kids and get some reading material. Just a suggestion. To dawnyhi, thanks for the suggestion but I am past that stage really and I don't believe self injury is an issue of apathy where they don't feel emotions. I felt too many emotions. That's why I turned to cutting. I had no place to put them. And yes, cutting is the new "anorexia" these days it seems. It's quite sad, but true.

To moonlight_ride62: I think you have some issues to work out still. You posted earlier you think you're normal, but if you think anorexia and bulimia make you look good and that they are good, then I think you have some serious problems. Anorexia and bulimia are extreme disorders/diseases that become addictions to the point where many of those who suffer with them die. You seem pro-anorexia/bulimia and that scares me as well as bothers me for this thread. This is not a thread about being pro-self-destruction. This is about recovery and healing and knowing you have a problem, but knowing you can get through it. I would never wish for anyone to cut themselves or starve themselves or binge and purge. I understand you are entitled to your opinion, but this is not a thread to provoke self-destruction. It is one to promote awareness only and talk about recovery and help.

thanx Winx

There's not one positive thing about an eating disorder.