thefictionweliv

I've been looking at everyone's views on various topics in Tilted Philosophy I kind of thought back to an argument me and a friend used to have on this subject, I am a new member to Tilted and would like to say that I am incredibly impressed with the ability of the members of this website to debate philosophical issues maturely.

While I have not done this in a few years, I used to cut myself for several years on a regular basis without the intent of suicide. I have never ran into a single person who gave me the impression that it was less than a criminal practice. However I saw it as a cure for my depression. I often slept better at night after I had. I could focus more on tasks at hand. I was in general a better person in my eyes. The negativity people drew from the scars was a flaw in themselves. It made a great deal of my life manageable. I bring this up to give others who may be dealing with friends, relatives, or others you meet in this type of situation some perspective from someone who has been there.

Everyday millions of people smoke and drink as an escape from everyday stresses and problems. People drink heavily to get over a girlfriend just leaving a depressing situation. In both of these instances people are damaging their body and in a sense killing themselves. Hell drunks are more likely to get in a car accident than someone cutting themselves to gash an artery. Both of these just as cutting oneself is self inflicted damage to the body to deal with emotion. I am in no way condoning any of these methods as positive ways of dealing with issues, as it is better not to smoke as it is better not to cut yourself. Yet why are people so quick to judge one who cuts themselves when it is fundamentally similar to the reaction of "I need a cigarette" or "I need a drink"?

livingfossil

I think there is a difference among these escapes. Alcohol and nicotine are drugs. Nicotine causes a physical addiction, as does alcohol. Some people do, actually, <i>need</i> a drink or a smoke.

I don't think the slow suicide argument really holds. Drinking soda, as it rots teeth and is rather acidic, can be seen as harmful to the body. Breathing air in a city is harmful to the body. Life itself is harmful to the body.

But why are people quick to judge? Because cutting oneself is not a socially sanctioned method of stress reduction. It also signifies a desire to do harm to oneself, which, however you slice it, stems from a negative emotion aimed at oneself. This alarms people. And I'd say rightly so.

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Never anything witty.

asaris

To add a little bit more to the "cutting oneself is not a socially sanctioned method of stress reduction" line. Alcohol and Cigarettes both have uses other than the merely numbing of emotion; they are both pleasurable activities in themselves and they are both frequently social activities. Self-mutilation is neither; it has no purpose other than the numbing of emotion. So, for this reason, it is less socially acceptable than the other two.

(Note: I am not endorsing smoking. Don't do it! -- From the man with the 'mysterious' cough)

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"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

thefictionweliv

I believe at the time I had a mental dependency on it to deal with depression, I felt better every time I did it so in time the connection was made, it was also something that wasn't the easiest to just drop.

As far as socially sanctioned, the fact that we cannot see the lungs or the livers of those drinking and smoking allows one to deny the fact that harm is being done, out of sight out of mind. I didn't do it so much out of a desire to harm myself as to feel better mentally. I've been told by smokers that the relief they get from smoking outweighs the consequences. I felt the same. All 3 of them are harmful to the body, its just the indirect result of the first two that allows people to put the harm they are doing out of mind. Life harms the body true, everyday decisions of pleasure against physical health are made, hence the American McDonalds diet.

zen_tom

Self harm shows a need and desire for (and some attainment of) self control over threateningly powerful emotions. The immense feeling of emotional release it brings comes from the twinned psychological effects of performing a ritualistic act and the HUGE adrenaline rush that follows. Keying those two things together makes for a powerful set of experiences and sensations.

People find it scary because they don't understand. The fact that it helped you through depression is probably a good thing, plus you have a constant reminder of how bad things were back then. I say, wear your scars with pride, they single you out as someone who has been through the mill and come out the other-side.

I would NOT reccomend this type of behaviour to anyone going through a depression (or otherwise). Depression is an alienating experience as it is, other people's reactions to scarring, excess drug-taking, drinking, sex or whatever form of 'extreme' behaviour is often going to increase that sense of alienation, adding to the viscious circle. Once you're on it, the only way off is to go all the way down and through the other side.

martinguerre

as a former cutter...i have to say i'm completely opposed to it gaining social sanction. the adrenaline rush does take the edge off...but there are other, safer ways to to do so. it's not going to be a long term coping mechanism, becuase if the desire to suicide ever does rise...the likely hood of completion is going to be that much greater.

zen_tom

Exactly, it's a physiological/psychological trap - You think it's the action that is making you feel better, while it is actually the adrenaline flooding through your body (as it would if you were injured in any situation) - Adrenaline is a great temporary relief from depression, but with all substance abuse, once it wears off, you're back to where you were before, except there's probably more blood around the place.

If you (the reader) want the same feeling, go do something scary. Turn into a thrill seeker, high-dive, mountain-bike, para-glide, surf, ski, box or just do something every day that you thought you couldn't do before.

MSD

Extreme (more extreme than paintball, skateboarding, etc.) sports can give the same rush with more of a chance for death or harm, and you get a much larger endorphine rush when you inevitably break a bone or end up with your face mashed into something that's harder and less mobile than your nose.

I think what bothers most people about cutting is the connection in their minds to death. They assume that cutting deeper will kill you, so you're just working your way up to suicide.

toxic515

as stated above, it's a control mechanism. Not a particularly socially acceptable one, but that's what it is. Me? I cut my hair as a sybolic act for myself. It's something I have the right and power to control when I feel as though I have none.

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Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies
like a banana.

MageB420666

People judge cause that's our nature, no matter what you do you always make a judgement, even if your intentionally trying not to. It's human nature.

As for people who judge you for cutting they are usually thinking, "Hey choosing to do that causes pain, I am a 'sane' person and choose not to do it, but you chose to do it which means you must not be thinking sanely", or some variation thereof. Most people assume that because you actively chose an activity that causes you pain, and they wouldn't, that your not right in the head.

I don't think it has so much to do with causing harm to the body as it does intentionally causing yourself physical pain. Most people assume that only an insane person would cause pain to feel better, they believe that one can have nothing to do with the other.

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Apathy: The best outlook this side of I don't give a damn.