[lyanness]

can one really get withdrawals from cutting? I haven't done it for a long time and my body aches to do it. Is this normal or am i just as messed up as I think I am?

[Jully]

I have been through this in the past, so yes, I think you can have withdrawals from cutting.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-injury

Those who engage in self-injury face the contradictory reality of harming themselves whilst at the same time obtaining relief from this act. It may even be hard for some to actually initiate cutting, but they often do because they know the relief that will follow. For some self-injurers this relief is primarily psychological whilst for others this feeling of relief comes from the beta endorphins released in the brain (the same chemicals that are thought to be responsible for the "runner's high"). These act to reduce tension and emotional distress and may lead to a feeling of calm.

As a coping mechanism, self-injury can become psychologically addictive because, to the self-injurer, it works; it enables him/her to deal with intense stress in the current moment. The patterns sometimes created by it, such as specific time intervals between acts of self-injury, can also create a behavioral pattern that can result in a wanting or craving to fulfill thoughts of self-injury.

[Perna]

Not withdrawals, it releases beta-endorphins, is "addictive". It's not that you feel bad if you don't do it, you feel "better" if you do.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sel...775/DSECTION=1

[Typo]

I get really bad cravings..like right now my hands are twitching and I have this really bad need to cut. Your not alone..I think everybody goes through this..I've noticed I'm also super sensitive to triggers now..like things people say or stuff I'll see and it makes me want to cut even more. Keep holding on lyanness!!

[Christina86]

You are far from being messed up. Cutting is addictive, and it's normal to miss it (even physiologically).

(((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))) be safe.

[Kiya]

sometimes my wrist will hurt because the body thinks there are cuts there even when there aren't any... !!

[ickydog2006]

What you are going through is normal. More things can trigger the feeling. You may feel cuts being made when it isn't happening. A lot of times if I'm really struggling if I look at my arm I start to see blood flowing down it. My wrist will ache, like the feeling a few days after I had done a lot of damage. At one point my arm became paralyzed and the muscles started cramping when I was having major cravings (I don't know if that is common at all, and my doctor said it had to do with my Conversion disorder, my body reacting physically to things that are completely psychological). My point is, sever craving is definitely normal, even to the point of having physical symptoms, or what feels to be physical symptoms.