I never liked "cutter" as a label. I've heard that label used with so much hate (by someone who didn't know at the time that I was one). "Self-injurer" seems like a more civilized term, although it is still a label, and why should we let one thing that we do define who we are? We are people who hurt ourselves, are we not? Emphasize first on the "person" part, and then on the "hurt." The hurt is always secondary, or even much further down the list of characteristics that describe you. You are a person with a lot of talents and intelligence and love and other intense emotions, who hurts a lot inside and tries to cope by using external pain.

Remembering that you are first and most importantly a person, if it still matters to categorize your coping method, a definition of self-injury is any physical harm that you do to yourself in attempt to manage emotional pain or distress, which causes damage that can be seen for 15 minutes. And, if it really matters to further categorize that damage, then I would say that injury caused with a blade would be called cutting.

But I have to ask, why does it matter? And what answer did you hope to receive? Do you want to be considered a cutter? Does it matter how bad it is in comparison to others?

Did you know that behavior can be addictive? The qualities of addiction are: <ul type="square">[*]Compulsive use[*]Loss of control[*]Continued use despite adverse consequences[/list]Do you think that these apply?

Now, more importantly, what are you going to do about it? I know that people don't change until they are ready to change. How will you know when you are ready to change?

I hope that this doesn't sound too harsh. I am just concerned about you, and I hope that you will reach the point where you want to get better and learn to cope with life constructively before you end up damaging yourself more severely, either physically, emotionally, or socially.

Take care of you. If you don't, then who will?

Rap