A topic that has just been brought to my attention, is cutting. A friend of mine was talking about how she has a cousin that cuts herself, and I asked if she was seeing a therapist. She immediately got angry at me, and said I was being insensitive. She told me that her cousin wasn't insane, and that she was just in a bad situation and needed an escape from the pain.

I then told her that if she is purposely harming herself, and that she should go get counseling.

I fail to understand why people cut. I mean, if you have legitimate problems, like an abusive family, or getting bullied at school, I don't think that cutting will help. I did a tiny bit of research, and I read that cutting helps people 'forget' their problems. This really confused me, though. How pain help quench pain? Why would people purposely harm their own bodies?

Please, help me understand why people do this. I can only get so much from wikipedia, so please, tell me about the reasoning behind why people purposely harm their own bodies.

I honestly don't understand myself, because I have the same mind set as you. Why do they cut?
I think they cut, so that someone will notice. It's like a cry for help and if someone doesn't hear that cry for help, then they won't be helped.
I don't know how it would make people forget about something, but you never know.

I think there is a thread with this is in it, but I used to cut myself. It helps ease the pain a little. It is hard to describe but it produces a euphoric type of feeling. I didn't know why till I tried it one time. It is a hard thing to break out of as well. I was quite depressed at that time too.

Also some people just do it for attention. But I got pretty good at hiding the cuts, since I didn't really want people to find out.

Well, the most logical explanation to this is that when a human is injured, their body releases endorphins, natural painkillers, which gives their mind a temporary relief from whatever they were focusing on, both from the pain and from the calming effect of the painkillers, however there are probably many explanations. For example, cutting oneself, or just destroying things in general is one of the most effective ways of dealing with stress, allowing the person to calm themselves by doing it...

Blood loss can make people feel calmer (to an extent), can't it? Isn't that why doctors sometimes use leaches as a painkiller (more like anesthetic, but you know what I mean, anyway).
Also, sometimes it just feels better to have physical pain that matches mental pain.

I think those who have never cut themselves won't be able to understand the ones who cut themselves completely. I mean some people just can't take it anymore that they end up doing it. also it differs to each individual to why they cut themselves. you could say that they don't want to leave anymore or this is how they escape from reality. Fact is we don't know. if we know why, then it only means you know why that person or a few people whom you know cut themselves, but for the rest of the people, they have different reasons they do it.

I do it from time to time when I feel awfully depressed, (occurs very rarely, probably 4 times a year?) I am not cutting my arm but my hips instead so no one can see. Personally, I enjoy feeling and seeing my blood flow out, it makes me feel alive.
Also, it serves as some kind of atonement whenever I feel like I did something wrong or am disappointed with myself. I often calm down after doing it, and I get into a really pensive and creative mood (I like to think a lot about fiction and personal matters)
I do not even consider it to be something bad by now, wounds heal and scars show how hard life has been on you sometimes. Once I move out and no one can interfere with it, I believe that cutting myself will become a very bad habit of mine.