When I first responded I wasn't thinking specifically of self injury. There are many other bad ways of coping.

But for me it has been a long hard road to realizing that way deep down there was a want/need/desperation for attention even if NO ONE EVER knew. And no one did know. I hid/hide it well. It's not for manipulation/attention. It's a cry for help. It's screaming inside. It's begging for someone to love me. It's punishment. It's wanting someone to hear me. It's wanting someone to take care of me. This is very hard to admit and look at and face. I do hate when people say it is for attention, but I think I hate if for myself because it is a tiny bit true. BUT wanting and needing attention is HUMAN and not a bad thing at all. I wish we wouldn't look at that phrase so negatively. Does posting here mean we want attention? Does dressing nicely mean we want attention? I don't know. I think in way those things are for attention, but NOT IN A BAD WAY. It's very, very, very human to want and need and crave someone to love us and take care of us and "see" us. I think for me self injury was and is partly that even if it is only something that I know and no one else ever does.