[sugahorse1]

I know everyone is different, we all have different issues and different measures, but what in your opinion is the average age?
Is it something even adults can suddenly start?

[Pandoren]

If I recall correctly, I was 12. I don't know about the average age. I guess that would be a question for a poll. I'm sure self-harming can start at any age really...

Sugahorse1,

I do not know about adults, because I started earlier. What exactly do you mean by self harm? I did not start cutting until about age 12, but remember throwing myself down the stairs at four, and hitting myself in the head with my shoe at three. My guess would be that no matter the age, when the pain felt inside surpasses pain felt physically, anyone may begin to self injure.

Just a guess-beats me!

-Fleeing Bellocq, Muse of the Mission District

[greyclouds]

I started when I was 25, but if I look back I was self harming before that in my teens

[sugahorse1]

For me, SI is mainly about ODing. I started this when the internal pain became too much, and I was about 23. I've recently started thinking about cutting or biting, and wonder if it's normal for these thoughts to start at this age

[JayneDough!]

I didn't start cutting until I was in my 30's.

I've been hurting myself in some way ever since I can remember. I'm not sure what the average age it though. There are a lot of people who start as adults and a lot who start as teens and some who start much younger.

[mazing]

From what I know, the behaviours often start at a young age (generally early teens but sometimes earlier) in one form or another. As we get older, sometimes the original methods don't work any more and others take over.

Although, I do know of a lot of people who have started later in life due to stress and different situations where their known coping mechanisms fail and they need another release. So I wouldn't say that it is an aged based thing.

[QUOTE=mazing;2698115]From what I know, the behaviours often start at a young age (generally early teens but sometimes earlier) in one form or another. As we get older, sometimes the original methods don't work any more and others take over.



I have found this to be a truth for myself. When my relapse occurred, roughly two and some years ago, I found that my old SI preferences either no longer relieved my stress, or were now incompatible with the way in which I must present, to society. I have radically adjusted my means, locations and style.

What odd creatures we are. This conversation sounds insane, even to my demented and unbalanced ear.

Lunacy and Desire, Conspire,

-Fleeing Bellocq, Muse of the Mission District

[gon3withth3wend]

I've read quite a few times that the average age is 14 or 15. I really started cutting when I was 16, but I did stuff like hit myself, bang my head against things, and throw myself against walls or furniture when I was little.... I mean, it hurt, but I seldom got more than a few scratches and bruises and broken property from that. I guess in hindsight, maybe that was abnormal, but I've always thought it wasn't a very big deal without blood... As you can tell, lots of people start later, or maybe even during elementary school.

[Angelornot]

I believe 14-20 is the average (statistically)... I started at 16.

[Nemo39122]

I'm sure it can start at pretty much any age, though from what I know it typically starts in your teens or early adulthood.

For me it actually started when I was 5 or 6 (young, I know), in very indirect ways ("accidentally" tripping in a gravel road, intentionally getting hit with things I could avoid just for the bruises, picking at mosquito bites or scabs to make them bleed...). That continued until I was around 12-13, then the actual cutting started when I was 15.

[sugahorse1]

I guess I was looking for "confirmation" if it's strange that I have these urges now only, when I'm close to 27 years old

It started with me before I even went to kindergarten ... I guess that would place me around 4 -5 years of age ... How sad to think that a kid is already going through so much brutal @#$%! that they resort to doing that in order to escape how emotionally overwhelmed they are because they don't have a way to put it into words and even if they could it wouldn't matter ... ... !!!

[bluegirl...?]

Ive hurt myself my whole life but the cutting itself didnt start until I was 11 or 12. But self injury can start at any age.

...Blue

i started when i was at least 11.. maybe a little earlier- and been on and off since

[Endeavy]

I started in my early teens and eased off in my 30's for 7 years but recently I have been doing it or other ways that punish me xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Girl_Interrupted]

Since I was about 4 I would pick my skin, 8 I would put needles and pins through my skin through the first few layers, then at 17 I started cutting, 18 I would bite myself, 19 I was burning.

I'm 22 now.

[sugahorse1]

I'm nearly 27. And starting to get urges occasionally

[JayneDough!]

Originally Posted by sugahorse1

I'm nearly 27. And starting to get urges occasionally

I just started this year and I'm in my 30's. All of the sudden life became too much--I needed something else and didn't have any other way to cope. You're urges aren't weird or wrong; you're probally just overwheled like the rest of us.

Do you know what your triggers are?

[SoupDragon]

I think I was 11ish the first time - then started again aged 15 - stopped when I was about 23 (discovered different ways of coping with my feelings), then started again aged 43.

[reeceaclarke]

when it comes to starting i was around 6-8 and it was more or less smashing my head against a wall/door or what ever as hard as i could most times in rage about something later on around 12 it was hair pulling and later 15 it was cutting

[radioactivegirl]

I had a nurse practitioner tell me that I was too old to still be cutting and that people using stop when they become adults. I found this to be a little insulting...maybe I'm just too sensitive. But for me, I started when I was about 14 and the last time was a month ago. I've since stopped, but I always have the urges.

[sugahorse1]

I battle with my bipolar symptoms, and major abandonment issues. So, I tend to often feel lonely, and battle to find purpose in my life. I thing the urges are almost a milder form of Sui urges, and I'd rather SI and follow through entirely.

I would imagine its during the teenage years.

I was eight.