Hi everyone,

I was just thinking the other day about the stigma associated with SI. The whole "emo" thing, how it's done for "attention" and nothing else.

I don't currently SI but I did for a short period of time (a few months), and it annoys me to hear quite commonly in my high school people making fun of SI and "emo" kids. Whenever this happens I'll take the opportunity to say that it's a serious issue.

Does anybody else deal with these misconceptions related to SI?

[Nemo39122]

This topic even inspired my username on here lol (I added the Xx stuff as sarcasm)

But anyway, yes. Not directed at me because no one "irl" knows I used to hurt myself, but it still annoys me. My personal favorite is "I wish the grass was emo so it would cut itself". How is that funny? It seems more immature to me.

Also, if it was for attention why would so many people try so hard to hide it?

Another thing I've noticed but I'm not sure if anyone else has is how its sterotypically almost all girls that SI. I know a large percentage of people who SI are girls/women, but does it really matter? In my opinion that just adds to another stereotype I've heard quite often of "all women are nuts".


Sorry if it's off topic but I'd like to post my theory of why more girls/women SI (if that's true). Also sorry if it seems sexist to men, that's not my intention. LIke I said, it's just a theory
Man acts mad: "wow he looks mad"
Woman acts mad: "what a b----" or "must be pms..."
Man seems depressed: "what's wrong?"
Woman seems depressed: "must be that time of the month."
Some reasons for SI: anger, depression, withholding feelings. Coincidence?

I don't mean to offend anyone with the above theory, and I know not everyone and probably very few people always think that way. Its based on some of my experiences only.
lol anyway sorry about the rant and going way off topic. Just something I wanted to say

[Typo]

I self injured for a number of years up until I was 19 and I still slip up every now in then , It never was for attention, I made sure to hide it, and to injury in places that if it left scars, nobody would ever be able to see them and ask where they came from..

It is hurtful at times to hear such misconceptions, but there are many ignorant people out in this world, some people just don't know about self injury and some people know of it but are scared of it or don't understand it.

The best way to fight any misconception, or misinformation is by knowledge, when I run across someone that has these misconceptions I explain to them the seriousness of the manner, and what leads to self injury, there are a number of support groups online and information online you could direct these people to, and if I"m correct I think there is an orginization called "To Write Love on Her Arms" that spread awarness on the manner, NAMI may have information as well I"m not certain...

Sadly one also has to accepet that in this world there are some people that will never care to understand and will continue to carry such misconceptions and spread them around, the best one can do is not listen to their words, and carry on with a head held high that you know the truth and carry the knowledge on the subject

Much peace to you
Typo

[desperate&disturbed]

kind of.. like sometimes i will make "emo jokes" but i don't do it to hurt people. i make those jokes to help deal with my SI, but to my friends or something. when other people make those jokes to be spiteful it bugs me a lot and i jump in and yell at them.
And then people go with the common ideas that its for intention. a friend of mine actually accused me of cutting myself for attention. i think all these things are problems and it would be so much easier for people who Si if there wasn't all this hatred towards them

[Mike_J]

Ok, not to sound too stupid but what is an "emo"

And I'm terrified by the stigma that people would attach to me if they knew about my SI

Not sure if I'm entirely correct, but "emo" is short form for "emotional", and people who SI are often called "emo" because they tend to have more emotions, or emotional trouble than most.

Emo is also a style of music and clothing.

Really, everybody is "emo" to some extent because we all have emotions. It's just that the stereotypical "emo" is generally associated with cutting, the colour black, mascara, etc.

[desperate&disturbed]

yeah emo is often grouped in with goth. emo does mean emotional but its just a stereotype that really isn't accurate to the people i know

[Katileena]

I think of "emo" as a term for a certain social clique. Like an "emo" is someone who listens to sappy music, likes feminine type things like music or art, wears black, is quiet, emotional, etc. But it's just a label; some people boast about being "emo" while others don't like the term.

I think the main concern with the entire idea of being "emo" is that there are certain people who will actually show off their "emo" ways and even brag about cutting themselves, like it's cool to do. I've seen articles that described young girls experimenting with cutting themselves to fit in and be cool in their "emo" group. This takes away from the severity of cutting and kills the ability to really educate people about what cutting is all about.

It's not about being "emo" it's about dealing with issues in an unhealthy way. Self-injury is just a symptom of something deeper. Until people are educated on the difference between a self-injurer and someone who claims to be "emo," it will negatively affect how people who self-injure are helped; more importantly, some self-injurers may be scared to seek out help because they might be labeled.

[Nemo39122]

Originally Posted by Katileena

I think of "emo" as a term for a certain social clique. Like an "emo" is someone who listens to sappy music, likes feminine type things like music or art, wears black, is quiet, emotional, etc. But it's just a label; some people boast about being "emo" while others don't like the term.

I think the main concern with the entire idea of being "emo" is that there are certain people who will actually show off their "emo" ways and even brag about cutting themselves, like it's cool to do. I've seen articles that described young girls experimenting with cutting themselves to fit in and be cool in their "emo" group. This takes away from the severity of cutting and kills the ability to really educate people about what cutting is all about.

It's not about being "emo" it's about dealing with issues in an unhealthy way. Self-injury is just a symptom of something deeper. Until people are educated on the difference between a self-injurer and someone who claims to be "emo," it will negatively affect how people who self-injure are helped; more importantly, some self-injurers may be scared to seek out help because they might be labeled.

Exactly. Grouping SI with emos is just harmful to both. So those who SI will be grouped with emos and assumed to be "whiny" or attention seeking.
Emos will be grouped with those who SI, so instead of emo being what it originally was (type of music and clothing style) it is now perceived as a bunch of depressed/suicidal loners who injure themselves, sometimes to be "cool" or as an "emo initiation ceremony"

Emo is a style, and SI is a way of coping. But when grouped together and with all the stereotypes added it just creates a potentially harmful mess for both groups.

[desperate&disturbed]

yeah exactally!
btw Xx not emo xX i love your signature, i listen to that song all the time

its ridiculous to assign a "symptom" or behavior to a group of people
this is like saying all smokers are tobacco farmers -- a "symptom/behavior" acredited to a group

when i was in foster care, like 95% of kids SIed. and we werent all emo, far from it. we all had problems and issues, but emo, was not a label that fit most of us.

also, what about older people who SI? usually "emo" is a descriptive of younger, high-school/junior high kids.

its something that is not understood, so people stigmatize it...
eating disorders used to be the same way until people began to understand them.

it is just sad that people are so cruel.

[Nemo39122]

Originally Posted by desperate&disturbed

yeah exactally!
btw Xx not emo xX i love your signature, i listen to that song all the time

lol thanks
I listen to all the songs in your signature alot

[findingmy_self95]

I am in like depression physical pain when I hear people talk like that because they dont understand WHATSOEVER how were feeling inside, they dont really the process in which people cut. If you dont think about it its like yeah emo but if ur thinking people like me actually have to put the thing to ur skin and cut urself open and bleed but no one ever really thinks about it and its painful because they just dont know GAHHHH

I think there is a stigma, but I also think self injury is way more common and also more understood than it used to be. It's more talked about and less scary. I also don't expect others who don't do it to really understand it. I don't fully understand it myself. How can I expect anyone else to?

Some people are going to be compassionate and sympathetic and some people are going to be jerks about it. That's just the way it is. But it is much better than it was 25 or 30 years ago. At that time it was viewed as a symptom worthy of being locked away for. So things ARE better and hopefully they will continue to get better.

[desperate&disturbed]

i was on youtube and a friend recomended a parody of a lady ga ga song. it was a joke about the emo stigma. i would post a link but it is VERY offense.
the whole thing was about the 'emo scene' and a lot of stereotypes and offenseive jokes.

[AmadeusApple]

Originally Posted by Xx_Not_Emo_xX

My personal favorite is "I wish the grass was emo so it would cut itself". How is that funny? It seems more immature to me.

Oddly enough, that's one of my favorites as in it amuses me.
Perhaps it's the misconceptions that entertain me? As odd as that sounds, humor is the polar opposite of coping with SI for me.
Perhaps just the fact of lightening the situation helps me, I'm not completely sure.

Originally Posted by roseleigh7

I think there is a stigma, but I also think self injury is way more common and also more understood than it used to be. It's more talked about and less scary. I also don't expect others who don't do it to really understand it. I don't fully understand it myself. How can I expect anyone else to?

Some people are going to be compassionate and sympathetic and some people are going to be jerks about it. That's just the way it is. But it is much better than it was 25 or 30 years ago. At that time it was viewed as a symptom worthy of being locked away for. So things ARE better and hopefully they will continue to get better.

It's very true that conceptions of most mental health issues have improved over the last few decades.
I'm not sure that anyone really fully understands SI, therapists or the people who love someone that does.
Oddly enough though, I believe my mom understands it more than I do. With every issue I've had over the years, she's researched up a storm.