[MusicLover79]

Why do people look at others who self harm as bad people? I mean sure it's a negative coping mechanism but so is drinking or do doing drugs. I used to burn myself and all that would give me was a scar. If you drink your problems away your killing yourself or if your doing drugs you could OD. Shouldn't they all be seen as the same badness and not one worse than the other? I just don't get it.

[mazing]

I think a lot of people just don't understand - it's something so foreign to a lot of people compared to drinking/drugs. It doesn't make it better or worse but people just dont understand.

[gloamingone]

I personally don't think it's that bad. I self-injured for the first time in six years Friday night. It made me feel better. Sure, others are horrified, but they're not going through what we are. It's a coping mechanism. Unpleasant, but it still keeps us alive.

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Yeah I think really what it comes down to is visible, immediate pain and blood. Compared to alcoholism which destroys your liver, you don't feel like it's as big of a deal because you can't see it's effects right away. I think the idea of physically hurting yourself on purpose is a scary idea to a lot of people. And also, as you're feeling the pain you are all mentally there (as opposed to numbing yourself with drugs).

[MusicLover79]

I understand self harm is bad which is why I stopped doing it. I just don't understand why people are so judgmental of others that do it. It's just as bad as other coping mechanisms people use. I can understand why some people don't understand why someone would intentionally hurt themselves, but they could try to be more understanding.

[MusicLover79]

Originally Posted by gloamingone

I personally don't think it's that bad. I self-injured for the first time in six years Friday night. It made me feel better. Sure, others are horrified, but they're not going through what we are. It's a coping mechanism. Unpleasant, but it still keeps us alive.

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Aww sorry you self injured But you are right, it is what keeps us alive. I remember when I started...if I didn't do it i'm not sure what I would have done

[volcanopunk]

I think people do think of doing drugs and binge drinking in the same way they think of self harm, but the former is slightly more accepted.

I think in a sense it is that bad. You have to think, what if you were doing it to someone else? It would be totally messed up.

[Victoria'smom]

I asked my T this yesterday. She compared it to drugs, talked about infection, scaring and it's because of bad coping skills. She's concerned because ones it goes back to as bad or worse quickly and in her opinion it causes death faster.

[ingalot]

I'm with you on this. Is it really that bad?

I just started again after a year of not cutting. It's helping me be more confident almost, because I don't care anymore what others think. Obviously, I'm careful and only cut places not many people see. Because they judge so much. I don't understand why. My friend cut for two years without being depressed or anything. She just... Did.

Yes it's "bad" because it damages your body, but is it really that bad if it helps your mind?

I'm sick of people thinking I'm bad or mentally unstable (ok yes I am to some extent but still) just because of the scars. It part of who I am and you can't change that. I don't want to change for anyone anymore.

[marmaduke]

People don't understand.
They are upset, confused, scared. It is viewed as an act of violence. The thought is 'if they can do that to themselves what could they do to others?
They don't understand that cutting is a form of release, it not about violence or aggression.

[MusicLover79]

I know SI is bad regardless. I mean I'm not advising anyone to do it or anything but I just think in the terms of is it that bad in relation to everyone else's negative coping habits? I don't think so. A lot of people SI to keep themselves from doing worse such as coming suicide so I don't think it's the worse thing someone could do. I think it's much easier to OD or drink so much that it damages your liver, that coping habits such as those are worse. I do wish I had never started SI but I can't go back so I just deal with it.