Why would you do that to yourself?
Why would a person do that to him or her self? Why would someone, for example, pick up a blade and cut a wrist? What factors motivate this kind of behavior? What thoughts and feelings must one be having? What state of mind must one be in?
Emotional distress is part of the answer–a surpassed threshold of stress, change, distrust, lack of understanding, and pain with no viable or believable solutions. Self harm is an expression of pure pain, of agony, of not knowing what to do or how to proceed, of not being able to express oneself at some fundamental level.
But most people choose other methods of dealing with their issues. Most people numb or pacify themselves with food, alcohol, drugs (including government sanctioned pharmaceuticals), TV, work, shopping, etc. Some people get counseling or seek a higher purpose. People that harm themselves may try these things too.
So, what kind of life experience leads to self harm? What kind leads to self harm with a suicidally tinged expression (e.g., cutting a wrist along a vein)?
I don’t think there’s a simple answer. Some people harm themselves when they’re freaking out. Others are calm and rational. Some want to hide. Some want to feel. Some want to bring something to the surface.
From what I’ve read, a larger percentage of people engage in some kind of self harm than might be expected.
So, what’s wrong with our culture? Can we blame culture? What interaction of culture and certain individuals leads some to self harm? Is self harm always a bad thing?
What is the definition of self harm? Usually it means something like cutting oneself. But what about eating too much? Drinking too much? Repressing emotion? What qualifies? Should it be any act that a person knows to be harmful? Any such act that is done instead of addressing an underlying issue?
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