Causes and Effects of Cutting as a Form of Self-Injury

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Self-injury behavior has become a significant problem these past few years; the most common form is cutting. According to Lyness, cutting is a form of self-harm by making cuts or scratches or injuring oneself with a sharp object which can draw blood (2012). Usually, people who do cutting do not intentionally attempt to suicide or seek for attention. Instead, “self-injury is an unhealthy way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012). Feeling of desperation, mental health problems or traumatic experiences are some of the causes of cutting and can lead to both physical and psychological effects.
Feeling of desperation is a major reason why some people cut themselves. Most people who are feeling very depressed cannot find any better ways to relieve from their problems so they believe that cutting would be the best solution. Some of them might also have difficulty in expressing themselves. “Cutting and other self-harm behaviors can make a kid who is really upset feel calm quickly or restore a sense of equilibrium for a kid who feels disassociated or numb” (Revelant, 2014). One important thing to remember, although cutting may give temporary feeling of relief, it does not solve the actual problem.
Another factor that leads to cutting behavior is mental or psychological problems. As it is stated on the article “Cutting: The New-Age Anorexia?”, cutting is often associated with anorexia and in some cases with depressive disorders (2005). Furthermore, “self-injury can also be a symptom for psychiatric problems like borderline personality disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia” (Davis, 2005). Teenagers on their adolescence who feel confused and become overwhelmed by their...

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...12). Cutting. Retrieved from http://teenshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html#
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, December 6). Self-injury / cutting. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/basics/definition/con-20025897
Revelant, J. (2014, March 16). Cutting and self-harm: Is your kid doing it? Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/03/16/cutting-and-self-harm-is-your-kid-doing-it/
Seligson, S. (2013, April 3). Cutting: The self-injury puzzle. Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/cutting-the-self-injury-puzzle/
Smith, M. & Segal, J. (2014). Cutting & self-harm. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm
Tracy, N. (2013, July 4). Causes of self-injury, self-harm, self-mutilation. Retrieved from http://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/causes-of-self-injury-self-harm-self-mutilation/

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