NATURAL HELPERS

CUTTING
Self-injury is not something people talk about very often, but for an estimated 2 to 3 million Americans it is a serious problem. The majority of people who self-injure are women between the ages of 13 and 30, but there are "cutters" of every age, gender, and economic group. People who "self-injure" are not usually suicidal. They do however, intentionally inflict injuries upon themselves, usually in response to stress or trauma, but not with the intention of killing themselves. Their injuries may vary from minor cuts that heal quickly to very serious wounds that leave permanent scars.	Self-injury usually indicates that somewhere during development a person didn't learn good ways of coping and dealing with overwhelming feelings or stress. They’re not sick or insane; they just never learned positive ways to deal with feelings and emotions for various reasons. But coping skills can be learned at any point in life.	People who self-injure can learn to use new and healthier coping mechanisms. This process may take years to develop. It also is important to get help from a therapist who specialized in self-injury. He or she can help the person figure out what lies behind the urge to cut or injure. New coping mechanisms may include exercising, painting, writing, or dancing instead of hurting oneself. A process that involves self-expression is often helpful. Whatever works as an alternative method of coping with the feelings of anxiety or stress or "numbness" is often a good start toward a healthy and productive recovery. If you hurt yourself intentionally, remember you are not alone. You might think that this behavior makes you a "weird," but you can see from the statistics that it is more common than you thought. Talk to a Natural Helper, counselor, or Student Support Coordinator. They can connect you to a professional who can help you to heal, both inside and out.
Some Common Factors of Self-Injury Starting age is between 10 - 16 years old There was a major change in the teen's life -- parents divorce or death There is a history of family violence, abuse or sexual abuse There are intense feelings of fear, hurt, anger, rejection or abandonment There are feelings of loss and or need for control Why Do People Self-Injure? This problem is not completely understood by health care professionals or psychologists. It seems to be most common among people who have been sexually abused as children, molested as children, or by survivors of incest. Whatever the context or reason, self-injury seems to function as a coping mechanism. "Cutters" use self-harm to feel calm, "in control," or just to "feel something." However, self-injury is not a healthy coping mechanism - it is a self-destructive behavior that probably reflects deeper, more complicated mental health or personal problems. Some Common Reasons Why People Cut Themselves They find it soothing: To feel pain on the outside instead of the inside To cope with feelings To express anger towards themselves To feel alive and real A way of communicating what they can't say with words: To tell people they need help To get people's attention To tell people they should be in a hospital An attempt to get people to react to their actions: To get people to care for them To make other people feel guilty To drive people away To get away from stress and responsibility To manipulate situations or people Triggering Events Reported by Young Adults Who Self-Injure Being rejected by someone who is important to them Being blamed for something over which they had no control Feeling inadequate Being "wrong" in some way


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