people slicing themselves

I agree that it shouldn't enter the discussion as a value distinction but it is important to show that there are multiple possible motivations behind cutting.

that is important of course! the main reason were described very good allready.

I used to cut myself quite some times ago. I was under a lot of stress for a long time, dealing with illnesses that eventually killed both my parents and dealing with an anxiety disorder that made it difficult for me to to talk to people about what I was feeling.
I cut because it was a pressure release. At some point every now and then my head would be so full of chaos and stress thsat I could not focus on anything. The physical pain was a release and diversion from the mental pain.
I cut my forearms up pretty bad one time, but never cut there again after friends saw the cuts at work. It was a very personal pain and I never wanted to talk to anyone around it. So I cut my upper arms from then on.
Well, I haven't done it for a long time, and in my present job, I come in contact with a lot of adolescent cutters from time to time. I am happy that I can now use my past to try and help these kids out, and steer them towards healthier ways of coping with their lives.

Awesome movie.
Gave me a good insight into the practice,,,

*drools*

The internet has a lot to answer for...

It will probably only respond with a picture of an owl

hmmm...

i cut myself all the time when i was younger. i haven't done it for a year and a half- the last cut was right before i got psoriasis really bad, and it turned into a big itchy mess on my knee. you can still see a bunch of really fine light razor scratches all over my left breast, and a couple other marks on my hip. when i used to get upset, i would drink a lot, which would give me even more reason to cut myself. it somehow released the tension/sadness/anger that had been building up, and i was left with another scar to remind me of it. i never did it for attention, it actually felt good to me, in a fucked up kinda way. as for now, i don't think i could do it again, i wouldn't want to mess up any skin that could be tattooed. i think getting a lot of tattoo work has kind of filled this need for pain i have. it's tattoo therapy to me. instead of getting a nasty scar out of it, i have something much nicer, a beautiful tattoo.