The Cutting Reality
It is difficult to imagine what life might be like for someone who is a cutter. Mostly affecting girls (64%), cutting is the act of intentionally inflicting injury on oneself. Often we hear from adolescents that cutting makes the pain go away, that when they see blood they forget everything else or when things are going tough for them they can’t wait until they can cut to release the tension.
Difficult for many of us to understand, cutting is one of the most disturbing practices among our teenagers. What is equally disturbing is how most of these girls seem to have it all together on the outside. Often they are honor students and very popular at their schools. Yet, once behind closed doors, they manage life by inflicting self harm. The adolescents who are involved in these behaviors have often endured very difficult situations in their lives including, physical or sexual abuse, depression, trauma and/or chemical dependency. When someone cuts, it isn’t necessarily a suicide attempt. Instead, it is an attempt to cope with negative thoughts, providing temporary relief from things like hopelessness, sadness, and loneliness.
There are some things that you can look for to be sure the youth you know are safe from this type of behavior. Look for cuts and burns on their exposed skin. They will often hide their cutting from others so take note if they happen to constantly be wearing long pants and long sleeves, regardless of the temperature. Take note of any blood stains on their clothing and whether or not they have friends who are cutting. Also, be sure to notice any items they may have around that could serve as a tool for cutting such as razors, needles, pins, and knives.
If you discover that someone you love is cutting, the best course of action is professional psychological help. For more information on cutting behavior, visit aamft.org/families/Consumer_Updates/Adolescent_Self_Harm.asp.
Youth Service Bureau (YSB) is a non-profit organization, serving residents of Washington, Chisago and Anoka counties. The mission of YSB is to ensure the success of youth. Programs and services provided reflect the belief that youth will be successful when relationships are strong, families are involved, communities are caring, harmony is restored and youth have the skills and opportunities for citizenship. For more information, please visit our website at www.ysblakesarea.org.