Can you name 20 of your closest
friends and acquaintances? Now,
picture 1 of those people in such
mental and emotional turmoil that
they believe the only way to
release that pressure is to cut it
out. Not a pretty image to behold,
is it? As scary as it may be the
fact still remains, 1 out of 20
people self-injure as an attempt to
find inner peace. Though they
may carve away the flesh of their
body until there is nothing left, the
cause of the problem will remain,
for no silver kiss can silence the
conscience.
Cutting seems to be the more
common and the most spoken
about of self-inflicted injuries, but
only a drop in the bucket of other
body harming methods. The
process of cutting is when a
person uses the sharp edge of an
item to modify or puncture the
skin. Utensils include, but aren't
limited to; glass, pins, razor blades,
kitchen or pocket knives, bottle caps, and soda can
tabs. The main misconception about cutting is that
cutting is the result of a botched suicide attempt. This
friends and acquaintances? Now,
picture 1 of those people in such
mental and emotional turmoil that
they believe the only way to
release that pressure is to cut it
out. Not a pretty image to behold,
is it? As scary as it may be the
fact still remains, 1 out of 20
people self-injure as an attempt to
find inner peace. Though they
may carve away the flesh of their
body until there is nothing left, the
cause of the problem will remain,
for no silver kiss can silence the
conscience.
Cutting seems to be the more
common and the most spoken
about of self-inflicted injuries, but
only a drop in the bucket of other
body harming methods. The
process of cutting is when a
person uses the sharp edge of an
item to modify or puncture the
skin. Utensils include, but aren't
limited to; glass, pins, razor blades,
kitchen or pocket knives, bottle caps, and soda can
tabs. The main misconception about cutting is that
cutting is the result of a botched suicide attempt. This
is far from the truth. Many
self-injurers cut to relieve
tension or stress within. The
wounds are generally
shallow, only deep enough to
bleed thinly. Blood is said to
be a physical manifestation of
the pain and confusion being
suffered, giving the cutter a
visible reason to hurt. The
areas on the body targeted
are the areas that can be
hidden and are less
suspicious, such as upper
arms, forearms, legs, ankles,
and the torso.
There may not be an official
reason for this action, or the
addiction that follows, but
studies have shown that
when the body is injured the
brain releases a natural
soothing stimulate called
endorphins. This elation can
become addicted in its own
right, depleting the often quotable
"numbness" one may feel. Another possible answer to
this quiet epidemic is control. When a person becomes
a slave to another's will, be it a parental figure
self-injurers cut to relieve
tension or stress within. The
wounds are generally
shallow, only deep enough to
bleed thinly. Blood is said to
be a physical manifestation of
the pain and confusion being
suffered, giving the cutter a
visible reason to hurt. The
areas on the body targeted
are the areas that can be
hidden and are less
suspicious, such as upper
arms, forearms, legs, ankles,
and the torso.
There may not be an official
reason for this action, or the
addiction that follows, but
studies have shown that
when the body is injured the
brain releases a natural
soothing stimulate called
endorphins. This elation can
become addicted in its own
right, depleting the often quotable
"numbness" one may feel. Another possible answer to
this quiet epidemic is control. When a person becomes
a slave to another's will, be it a parental figure