So, people have been here...

This isn't a page for the weak-of-heart or anyone who is happy-go-lucky. This is a page built to service and help the real people out there who have real problems. Just like me.

I am not going to run through the endless list of problems facing teens today. We all know what they are. The real problem is how to deal with these problems. None of the after-mentioned methods should be used by ANYONE. They are not productive, healthy, cleansing methods of dealing with pain. But, unfortunately, many teens do use one or more of these methods when upset. So, please, while reading over each method, remember that they are not in any way healthy and if you, or someone you know, does any one of them when upset they have a serious problem that should be looked at by a trained professional.

Self-mutilation is a method of healing which many teens use when facing problems. The irony of this method is that, once self-mutilation starts and becomes a habit, emotional pain is only supposedly healed by self-inflicted physical pain. This causes a vicious cycle which become very, very addictive. There are three main types of self-mutilation:

-Cutting oneself purposely

-Hitting one's head against walls or other hard objects purposely

-Cutting off one's body parts such as limbs, ears, etc purposely.

The most common form of self-mutilation is inflicting cuts to various body parts. The category also includes purposely pulling out strands of hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows and burning oneself. The next two afore-mentioned methods are most commonly found in mentally retarded and psychologically imbalanced persons. It is not impossible for someone of normal intelligence and acceptable psychological balance to perform either one though. Many seemingly "normal" people suffer from this very addictive habit.

Why do it?

Self-mutilation goes beyond rational thinking and reasoning. If there was a logical explanation for it, it would be an acceptable, ok thing to do. But it is not. The only way I can rationally explain a need to hurt oneself in response to being hurt is this: When one is in deep physical pain, the emotional pain, that was unbearable, no longer exsists. This only last for a short time, though. Self-mutilation is a sort of high that lasts for less than a couple of hours. The real problem occurs the same way that it occurs with other drugs: you become addicted. Once you start self-mutilating yourself, the urge to do it again is intense. Every time something goes wrong, you think of it. Every time you frown at all, you think of it. You are always thinking of it.

So, what's so bad about it?

Now being established why people do it and what is good about self-mutilation, it must be made clear why it is not the thing to do. Inflicting pain upon oneself show a lack of reason and logic on the person's part. It is often a desperate cry for help from the person. It also runs high risks of infection from the cuts and burns.

How to get help

Just as it can be compared to drugs in its addictive qualities, you must overcome it as you do other drugs. It takes an extreme amount of willpower and distraction, first off. But do not be fooled, it will be there always.

What you can do to help someone else

If you have a friend who is doing this DON'T GET ANGRY. Don't yell. Don't threaten to stop being their friends. No matter how good of friends you may be, this will not make them stop because they will not be thinking about it the next time they are upset. If they have a favorite knife or other cutting utensil DO take it away from them. This will, most likely, not cause them to stop, but it'll make it a hell of a lot harder for them to do it the next time the feel a need to. But, the MOST IMPORTANT THING is to just be there for your friend. Talk to them, spend a lot of time with them and be supportive.

On a final note...

As a personal testimony, I have suffered from self-mutilation for many years. As a child I would repeatedly hit my head against walls when upset and I continue to do this today. I have also slit my wrists. It is not because I am "psycho" or a "retard". It is mainly done out of frustration, anger, hurt and intense, extreme pain. With myself, and many other self-mutilators, I did not know how else to deal with the pain. Crying never helped, screaming only made me more mad. The only thing that has ever kept me from self-mutilating myself is talking about the pain with friends.