Scratching was how I started. Well, actually, no - I did other things that didn't leave a permanent mark that I started as a young child, but I have scars from scratching too. In fact, the time that I was put in jail because I scratched my face up severely and was considered a danger to myself, that was all with my fingernails. The first time that I scratched and my skin actually tore, it surprised me, but that was my primary method for a long time. I guess it's what it means to the individual person, but self-injury takes many forms. There is a danger if we make comparisons that some could get competitive and try to match what someone else does. That's not good. But I know that when a friend told me that for her it was all about lots of blood, I responded by trying to do that too, even though for me it was the pain, and knowing that I could find a way no matter what, without needing tools that could be taken away. We're all different, but the differences aren't what matters. We all hurt, and we all struggle to cope.