The Word "Cutter"
 

Am I the only one who hates the phrase "cutting"?
I prefer to say I self-harm, not "cut".

When people say to me "you cut yourself?" I want to tell them "no, I self-harm." Something about that phrase just bugs me. The word "cutter" is the same. I cannot stand that word, I think it is shameful, and gross. I think self-harmer or even self-injurer is a lot lighter.

Anyone else agree?
Or disagree?

My method of self harm doesn't leave cuts, so it doesn't really apply to me. Although I'm always a proponent of the school of thought that such labels to define a person are inappropriate.
I self harm, but I wouldn't even define myself as a 'self harmer'. But it might be different if I did it every day, as it is, it's mainly confined to an episode every few months when I'm under severe emotional stress. But even for anyone who self harms every day, they are so much more than 'a cutter'.

I honestly would hate any label whatsoever given to me about self-harm/self-injury/cutting, but when I refer to it with my therapist or even in my own mind, I actually like using "cutting." I guess that's because the words "harm" and "injury" have such strong implications of it being something wrong, something harmful and injuring. Whereas cutting is just straight-up what it is, no judgment or anything (when it's said by myself, that is). And it's not trying to disguise anything, it's very explicit. I dunno...I understand why people wouldn't like it though. And I would hate for anyone - aside from my therapist - to use any of those terms really, probably "cutting" moreso than the others because it seems more juvenile, whereas "self-harm" or "self-injury" makes it seem like they at least have some minimal knowledge and/or respect about the topic. Anywhoo, that's my two cents ;-)

katie- we dont cut much either and well it didnt start out as cutting anyhow it started as pinching but anyhow.. we dont always do it either.. maybe once or twice every 2-6 mths -- dometimes depends how bad scars are from time before.. but ya know just because i dont have a "routine" or cut everyday or even every week.. my scars.. they tell me i am a cutter.. it IS embarrassing and L isa ashamed.. hell weve been wearing long sleeves and jackets even when its not cold outlately just to hide out newest scars =/
also we only cut under massive stress, anxiety and depression as well.. still.. we are a cutter ..no sweet wat to candy coat it =/ sorry .. i hope one day we wont feel the need to anymore and you wont either.

GRRRR... i wrote alot . it deleted DAMN IT!!!!!

short version i agree with silent. dont like the idea of anyone besides me, myimmediate family, and drs discussing me as being a cutter.. and of course id like them to be talking to me when they do it.. otherwise.. the other way is just more considerate. i dunno sorry im really back n forth i guess.. not in a very good place late;y sorry if i dont make sense or any of us for that matter.
SADIE

I understand. I cut on a semi-regular basis, but I feel like the word "cutting" just like, slaps me in the face. It is sharp, like the tools, whereas "SH" is sort of duller. I guess it's a comfort zone thing. I don't like anyone refering cutting to me besides my best friend. I agree, it feels like they are judging you.

And hidingme, I hope it gets better for you <3 I'm ALWAYS here if you need me <3

I totally agree. cutter sounds so harsh and unforgiving. Self-harm sounds more personal and soft. I hate being called a cutter.

I agree I also hate "cutting" or "cutter". I guess I feel more ashamed when it is referred to as that. But I can understand why it's so widely used.

Oh my gosh! Thank you for posting this! I cut but don't do it on a daily basis-only every few months or so, so that label never fit me. besides lately I engage in forms of self-harm that don't leave cuts. I prefer to say I self-harm rather than cut because it more accurately describes me. In fact I get annoyed when I hear the term 'cutter' because I feel that people who struggle with other forms of self-harm are not represented.

Secondly the term 'cutter' sounds so harsh.

I disagree. I use the word "cutting" to describe what I used to do. I always hated the term "self-mutilation" though =/

What i do often isnt cutting, for me cutting represents sort of the lowest i get, so prefer self harm, but if someone says cutter i very rarely say anything because that isnt a very productive conversation usually, and i definitely prefer it to self mutilation

I agree with this. Apart from "self-mutilation" (which to me sounds like it has more to do with some religious rituals or something), I don't really care what people call what I do/did.

It gets on my tits

Self-harm is too long and sounds too technical.

I agree too, i dislike the word and phrase cut or cutting and the fact it labels everyone. As a lot of people have said those who self harm don't necessarily cut so i don't think the word 'cutter' should be used to generalised. It also sounds like a horrible term to use.

However i dislike using self harm or 'i am a self harmer', im a person or happens to hurt herself. I generally just say i hurt myself because i dont like self harm either :P thats just me though!

I don't really like calling myself a self harmer/self injurer/cutter etc I prefer to say I self harm/self injure/cut. I guess I don't like saying I'm a self harmer because I'm more than that, the self harm is just one part of it.

So I usually say I self harm because I do a few different things and don't want to list them all so 'self harm' encompasses everything.

I hate the term too. But self-harm bothers me too. I just use SH, it's shorter and has less impact. And this way no one else but the persons in the conversation can understand what I'm actually talking about.

I don't really like the word, but there's a lot of words I don't like, I think because they state outright what I'm doing. I have a friend who will ask if I've cut, or tell me she wishes she wouldn't cut myself, and I'll usually say something along the lines of "don't say it like that," or "I don't like that word." And she always says, "why? that's what it is." She says that I need to hear the reality of what it is, what I'm doing to myself, and by not saying the word I'm not really admitting it, sort of making it more okay. And I can see where she's coming from.

On the other hand, I don't like being labeled as a "cutter." That's different, I don't like labels, and people shouldn't be defined by that.

^ Exactly this.

And I agree, "self-mutilation" has to be the worst, in my opinion. Thankfully, I've never actually had to hear it used, only seen it in online conversations. "Mutilation" is just such a strong word, and it caries far more shame/guilt than I personally associate with self-harm/self-injury. I think the reason that "cutting" seems less shamful to me is because the lack of the word "self" makes it seem more innocent...sure, the "self" is implied, but I dunno...I just like it better I guess. (Sorry if this made no sense!!)

My form of self harm doesn't leave cuts either but I tend to refer to myself as a self harmer when I talk to medical professionals but I don't define myself by that in day to day life. Personally I hated the term cutter when I used to cut and I really hate self mutilation - it just sounds gross :-(

I prefer calling myself a cutter... just my two cents.

I don't like it. I am not a cutter. I am a person who cuts. I don't like to be identified by my problem.

I agree I hate that term, I don't know why but it just has such a harsh tone and slang meaning behind it that makes me mad and cringe because it's like people are making fun of you or are dusgusted when saying cutter.

Completely agree......

I struggle to say or even type that I cut. its horrible....

self mutilation ergh i really hate that. I don't self nutilate i cut or burn although if someone called me a burner i'd punch them lol. I hate theterms that are used its like we're no longer people we're are problems. I'd much rather say i have a self harm problem than i am a cutter, it's sounds so cringy. Could you imagine walking up to someone and going 'hey i'm cutter how are you' you wouldn't. I hate it when doctors call you a cutter or self mutilator it really bugs me :)

i absolutely hate this word to me it feels like they are defining who i am? i am not a cutter or someone who self harms i am catherine a caring person that works with the elderly and really enjoys it.

it really gets to me as we are not a group of people defined by the term cutters or whatever we are individuals in society that have had it tough going. and should be treated with respect not with labels

p.s never read everyones replies yet

Earlier i found myself questioning in me, what iam, i was telling my self ' your self harmer' you cut your body so that realisation has hit me, found my thinking upsetting, a nurse said its a coping mechanism so that my mind went back to, it was her that more or less told me about 3/4 years ago. i didnt understand what am i doing i still dont fully understand so i cant separate those two and choose, but i did in my mind earlier think how does world see you with out them knowing .. and said your self harmer.

Self-harm is a rather broad definition, it encompasses all methods. If you cut yourself, then you are 'a cutter'. Yes, you self-harm, but I find narrowing that down a bit to be a bit easier, especially since different types of self-harm are treated differently.

As for one term being "lighter" than the other, well, you are purposefully and knowingly hurting yourself, it is not meant to be a light topic.

I really hate being labelled by my self harm, and actually I used to do this to myself, like in my mind id call myself a self harmer/'cutter' and really struggled to get out of that mind set... I like to think of self harm as something I do (and am trying to stop) it isnt who I am, I dont want to be defined by it as that seems really trapping.

When I used to think of myself as a cutter, it was like Oh well that IS who I am, no point even trying to stop blah blah blah...

So yeah I dont really like it also on a more general level i prefer the term self harm as its broader and covers more than just cutting and it can be easy for people (essp people who dont SH) from overlooking other forms of harm, so many people think: cutting, razors, blood, scars, when that just isnt it for so many folk who SH.

I dont think ive ever heard a my friends (who know nothing) call anyone a cutter, just say that they cut themself, or that they self harm. Is it that common for people to say that?

I've only known two people in my life outside of here who have self harmed, they didn't refer to themselves as cutters, although I realise that two isn't many people.

No one I know has ever referred to me as a cutter, apart from once, a Doctor in A&E. Although as I previously mentioned I don't like the phrases cutter/self harmer/self injurer and people around me know that and share my view, so they just say that I self harm.

I just say that I hurt myself sometimes.

My Dad uses the term 'self-mutilation when talking with me
about it. I hate the term self-mutilation.

I hate any term that refers to it other than the one thing I'll admit it is. Which is my method of survival. Its not like its the best term, its just honestly what it is. I'm not a huge fan of this either, because I feel like its still a label which is seperating me from everyone else.

Actually, my biggest issue with the words 'cutter' and 'cutting' is that my position on my team is also known as cutter and I'm the only one on my team who is generally referred to as a main cutter because the only reason I'm not a handler is because they really need for me to cut because I'm very good at cutting. Also my entire team knows about my past (I don't hide my scars around them) so sometimes I have an awkward second when they say things like 'oh, she's a cutter'!

My opinion is that if you do cut yourself you are a cutter. It is factual English. A word to describe that action. I have no problem being called a cutter.

Self-harm to me applies to methods of self harm that aren't cuts. Again, factual.

I think that we sugarcoat things too often and often find a word difficult because actually other words that could be used for what we do appear nicer and we don't like staring in the face our realities.

Personal opinion I reiterate. We are all allowed them.

I dislike it. Mainly because I grew up hearing this and thinking cutting was the only form of self-injury. I didn't realize I was a SI too until I started researching it. Self-harm, self-injury are terms I like more. I'm not sure why, but maybe it's because I can think of myself as either terms and be ok with who I am. Cutter, self-mutilator just sound like they define me a bit more. Cutter because I associate only one type of harm with this and self-mutilator because I feel it DOES sound like some weird religious practice, not me hurting myself for different reasons. But that's just me ;)

I don't mind cutter at all, it's never really bothered me, I don't like self-mutilation though. I was called a slasher once and I really didn't like that one at all...

I agree whole heartedly. I don't like self-harmer, because it labels you for what you do. I'm more than my bad habits.

slasher is peculiar...I've never heard of that. I don't like the sound of it. I mean it sounds like an anime comic book hero, which is kind of silly and inaapropriate for the situation.

I mena, I don't mind saying "I cut myself" but esspecially "cutter" or people saying "she cuts" is...*shudder*

I don't enjoy the word "cutter".
Maybe it's because a friend of mine has put such a terrible spin on that word for me. She doesn't know I self-harm. She does, however, think I'm some sort of "LET ME TEACH YOU ABOUT THIS TOPIC" activist whilst she calls anyone who self harms a "cutter", which she says is just a kinder way of saying "self-butcher".

So, if I had to pick any term, it'd be self-harm.

First of all, if you cut then you are a 'cutter' as opposed to a scratcher or a burner or a hitter is fairly accurate. You cut yourself, you probably say it yourself "I want to cut" or "I cut myself last night". Why can't others say it?

Secondly, you are not meant to enjoy the word. May not be particularly nice to hear, but your friend has a point with the "self-butcher". You will probably look back on this time of your life and agree with her.

The label of self-harm and what you call your actions are two separate things.

Others can say it, just I prefer another phrase because "cutter" makes me feel bad about my actions.

I can't stand self-mutilation , mutilation is pretty extreme; cutting of body parts etc, which i have never done.. Cutter, i used to cut yes but its sounds worse, i feel as a cutter i would rather people if they ever said it that i used to self harm, as i did harm myself in a number of different ways.

I can understand where everyone is coming from in this thread, but I have always preferred "cutter" over "self-injurer" or whatever. It's never really bothered me - I cut, which makes me a cutter, as opposed to a "burner" or a "bruiser". Plus whenever I talk to people about it, most of them will easily understand "I used to be a cutter" rather than "I used to self-harm," and they're like "Um . . . what?"

Things like "slasher" and "slicer" I take offense to. And I've always hated "self-mutilation", because it just implies horrible things that are not what I'm doing when I hurt myself. But "cutter" has never bothered me.

I can see how the term 'mutilation' can conjure images of dismembered body parts, but it can also mean 'irreparably damage' which I think sounds a bit less extreme. I think there are areas of my body that are irreparably damaged with scar tissue and loss of nerve sensation. So self mutilate isn't really a term I'm fond of but it's not something I really take offence to.