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smileemptysoul 05-11-2007 05:18 AM
Questionnaire
 
I am doing a paper for school and trying to raise awareness about SI, so I am trying to compile information directly from anyone who is willing to give it. This questionnaire is designed to try to help understand SI(Self Injury). No names will be used in the research results, only the answers given. Please only answer what you feel comfortable with, you can say as much or as little as you like. Please number your answers with respect to the questions when filling out the questionnaire if you choose to participate. If you rather not comment please feel free to PM me. Also please keep in mind the rules of ryl when responding to the questions. Thanks for your help!
  1. Male/Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure?
  3. How do you SI?
  4. Do you try to hide it? How?
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them?
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself?
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same?
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?
  16. Did you ever regret SI?
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’?
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

~invisible~girl~ 05-11-2007 07:04 AM
1. Female
2. 16
3. I cut. Doesn't that question have some potential for tip-sharing though?
4. Yes. Long sleeves, arm warmers, etc.
5. Um... I could probably write a page or two on that, and if you asked again tomorrow I'd give a completely different answer... Right now I'd have to go with the explanation that I gave in this thread: http://www.recoveryourlife.com/Forum...t=21933&page=4
about not talking and stuff (if you look at my post there, you'll see why I didn't just copy it over here), but it's kind of long and complicated, and like I said, I'd probably give a different explanation tomorrow.
6. Yes. I told my doctor because she asked if I'd ever intentionally hurt myself, and I said yes. She just asked me some questions about how often, how badly, and stuff like that to find out how dangerous it was and whatever, and now she asks about it every so often cause of the meds I'm taking, like if I've been doing it more or less or whatever. My mom found out about it recently, although I didn't tell her on purpose, but she read my journal. She said we needed to talk, told me she'd read my journal, and then made me give her my blades (although I didn't give her all of them), and like said I had to try meds and/or counseling at school and stuff, and she's tried to talk to me about it a few times since then (which I generally try my best to avoid).
7. Sort of. I'm on antidepressant meds not directly for SI, but for depression/anxiety that's probably what's mainly causing it, and they're helping with some stuff I think but not really with SI.
8. Yes. I didn't because I pretty much can't talk to people - nothing specific to SI. Like I have this thing on my toe that I've wanted for years to have checked by a doctor, but I can't make an appointment or ask about it - same thing with SI - it's nothing to do with being embarrassed about it, or thinking people will react badly or anything, it's just a general thing about initiating a conversation about anything.
9. I've been diagnosed with some learning disabilities, which are technically considered mental disorders (as in, they're in the DSM and everything), but nothing relevant to SI. My mom says I'm depressed (based on my journal), and since she's a psychologist, she'd know, but she didn't do any assessments or anything, and people aren't really supposed to diagnose their own kids anyway, so it's not a formal diagnosis.
10. No.
11. N/A (never been to the hospital)
12. Sometimes. Most of the time I want to quit, but not when I decide to cut, or some other times. I don't think I can really explain it either way.
13. No. It's a maladaptive coping mechanism and/or a symptom of other disorders. It can be associated with too many different underlying causes. I think that cutting to draw attention to yourself versus to distract yourself from or otherwise alleviate negative feelings versus to punish yourself, versus to stop yourself from dissociating are such dramatically different processes leading to the behavior that classifying them based on the resulting behavior, rather than the motivations for it wouldn't be very useful.
14. It got worse for a little while at first, as I found 'better' tools so I could make myself bleed more (not that I cut very deep or anything, but I could barely even break the skin at first), and also as I kind of gained confidence in the idea that I did want to do it when I was actually cutting and started making several cuts at once and cutting more often. But it's been about the same for a few years now, apart from that how often I cut changes depending on stress and stuff.
15. Yes, but I don't think there's anything that would replace it, since having visible cuts on my arm is one of the important effects for me (if you really want to know, read my post in the thread I linked too).
16. Yes. Every time it's warm out and I want to wear short sleeves, every time I want to go swimming, definitely when my mom found out (although then I regretted having written that journal and left it on my desk a lot more than I regretted SI), and sometimes just looking at my arm even if I don't have reason for anyone else to be able to see it.
17. I don't know. My mom certainly plenty about SI before she found out I did it, but I still didn't want her to know, and I even found myself wishing she could have reacted like a normal parent, and not understood so much. But I don't know how other people would react.

mansonluvr5692 05-11-2007 07:53 AM
  1. Female
  2. 12
  3. I mostly cut, but have tried burning.
  4. Um. I try to cut mostly on my legs because no one ever sees them, so yes, i do try to hide it. It's a very secretive release of paint for me, and it doesn't seem right to have your SI showing off to everybody and his brother.
  5. I SI because 1) it's an addiction for me now 2) it's the way I can cope with things 3) it's my way of crying since I haven't been able to cry lately. SI-ing gives me a sense of control over something in my life and it makes me feel the pain that's on the inside in physical form. I know it sounds cliche but it's true..
  6. My friends found out about my SI when we were changing in gym class, because I wasn't very careful, and they went to my guidance counselor and first she called in my teacher (who is like one of my idols and mentors) and they both talked to me for a while about it, then the guidance counselor told me mom, my teacher cried I think, and my mom was just shocked, and my guidance counselor was disappointed in me and/or worried about me, well, they were all worried about me I think, but the teacher and guidance counselor think I'm doing better now. GOSH, so many lies. That was in middle school, I go to a high school in a different district, and I do tell most of my friends there that I SI. My family doesn't like it and they really want me to stop, and my friends, well, they kind of think I've stopped, so they're less worried about me.
  7. At first I was kind of "placed" into therapy by my mom, so at first I wasn't really wanting help, but after my first hospitalization, I think I decided that I did need more help than I thought. So far, it does seem to be helping, at least a little bit. I went to a complete low point like a year ago, about a year after I started SI-ing, and I've been getting better and better with every month.
  8. There were a couple times when I know I should have gone to talk to my guidance counselor and part of me really did want to, but I think there was this louder part of me that was telling me to just cut and keep cutting, like i don't need help, cuz it isn't a problem.
  9. I have been diagnosed with manic depressive disorder, PTSD, and EDNOS. There is definately a connection between the disorders and my SI.
  10. No. SI to me is done to keep myself alive, not to kill myself.
  11. I've been to the hospital a few times, usually for more than just SI, usually I was suicidal and then they said that I also had to work on the SI, but the staff treated me pretty well, they weren't horrible, there was one lady who wasn't very nice, but you're going to find people like that everywhere, I guess.
  12. Um. I have tried to quit like three times since I started SI-ing, once almost six months after I started. I tried to quit that time because I wanted to go this camp and my mom and the camp director made a deal with me that I could go if I didn't SI at all, but that didn't really last long. And then I tried to quit after a really long stay at the hospital. That was about a year after I started. I tried to quite that time because I decided that I never wanted to go to the hospital again. As long as I could help it. And then I tried to quit this past summer, for my girlfriend, and I've done pretty well, I've only cut a couple times a month, which is much better than the everyday cutting that was happening before. Talking to people when I felt like SI-ing definately helped me a lot.
  13. Um.. I'm not sure. Usually it is a coping skill for some other disorder, so I guess it shouldn't...
  14. It's definately gotten worse.
  15. Possibly. I would probably try those things, and if they didn't work for me, then I would probably go back to SI-ing.
  16. Yes. Definately.
  17. Um.. I guess it really depends on the person. I mean some people might think it's easier to talk about it if it's more well known, but then other people might hide it more for some reason or another. i guess we'll just never be able to please everyone, but I think most people would think it's easier.

Ashleygray 05-11-2007 08:00 AM
  1. Female
  2. 13
  3. Cutting, burning
  4. Yes, underneath my clothes
  5. To make me feel real
  6. My mum found out and was upset
  7. Yes, it hasn't helped yet
  8. I was forced to seek help
  9. Anxiety & depression
  10. Yep
  11. Only ODing
  12. no
  13. Yes, but i never lasted longer than 3 weeks.
  14. Yes
  15. Much worse
  16. Yes
  17. Always
  18. Yes
  19. -
  20. -

Ginger Snap 05-11-2007 11:40 AM
1. Female
2. 15
3. Cutting
4. Sometimes but i don't bother when the cuts have healed as such.
5. I SI to be able to cope with just about everything. But now i can't live without it and it's become an addiction.
6. No but my sister once saw my amrs covered in scars and burst into tears and ran upstairs, as it turned out, into my room where she calmed down and asked me why. We've never talked about it since.
7. No.
8. No
9. No but i am terrified of doctors. I'm pretty sure i have depression though.
10. No.
11. No.
12. Yes i have wanted to on a few occasions. I was just sick of it ruling my life and it was especially difficult in summer, so i quit. I lasted 8 weeks. That's the longest i've gone of about 5 attempts. I think i was 18 when i first decided to quit. I lasted that long just because the thought of stopping made me feel so much better! Distractions helped a lot too. However, the last time i tired to quit i turned to alcohol instead which was not the best move. It was eventually the reason i gave up quitting.
13. No, i don't think it's a disorder.
14. It definately got worse over time.
15. I doubt it. It's a shame but i don't think i'd ever replace it as such.
16. I regret it every day. But i'd never give it up, i just can't live without it at this point.
17. Yes definately because it's not actually accepted by a lot of poeple. Still!

hammy 05-11-2007 11:51 AM
  1. Female
  2. 20
  3. cut od
  4. not anymore
  5. relief, pain, punishment
  6. parents found out, got in too deep. friends know. hospital know
  7. yes hospital, docs etc. yea it helped but took me time
  8. i didnt want help at first. didnt want to accept I was ill
  9. i have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, yes there is a correlation
  10. yes
  11. the staff at hospital were nice most of the time
  12. yes i wanted to quit, felt guilt every time after I had done it. had to draw, paint, sing, go for a run, find other coping mechanisms
  13. maybe
  14. it reached a peak
  15. of course
  16. yes
  17. people are always worried about si, but that is natural
[/quote]

quautia 05-11-2007 12:53 PM
  1. Male/Female
    Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure?
    There were a few isolated incidents in my childhood. I started to Self-Injure on a regular basis when I was 11.
  3. How do you SI?
    I mainly cut, but I also skin pick, burn and hit myself.
  4. Do you try to hide it? How?
    I don't hide my old scars, but I do hide any new ones. Everyone thinks I haven't self-harmed in over 5 years. I only cut on areas that aren't visible to others.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?
    I use Self-Injury as a coping strategy. I suffer from Depression and Anxiety (and possibly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I'm also a recovering alcoholic and binge eater. If I were to drink again, it would kill me - either eventually through ill health, or soon rather than later as I attempted suicide the last time I drank. Its more important that I stay sober than it is to stay Self-Injury free. I use it as a way of coping with life, as I'm still learning how to deal with normal situations after years of medicating myself with alcohol and food. I don't get much out of it, just a small sense of relief and it delays the emotional pain for a little while, while I find other ways to cope. I also use Self-Injury as a way to punish myself.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them?
    My Parents, friends and teachers were aware of my Self-Injury when I was in my early teens. This was when my Self-Injury was at its most unmanagable, and most people reactive negatively, thinking I was doing it for attention. I wasn't urged to seek help, I was just told to stop doing it. At first, I never hid my self-injury, so it was just common knowledge.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?
    I've seen various GP's over the past 9 years for help with my Depression, Anxiety, Alcoholism and Self-Injury. At first, I didn't get the help I needed, as I was labelled 'Attention Seeking'. It was only recently that I've learnt how to communicate my needs, and I also opened up about the sexual abuse I suffered. I am now on a waiting list to see a Specialist.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
    I've been put off visiting Accident & Emergency. I visited once, and was made to wait 5 hours before being told that I might not be able to see a Pyschiarist anyway. I also avoid phoning the Crisis Team, as a GP told me that was just for Suicidal people, not for Self-Injury.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?
    I'm currently diagnosed with Severe Depression and Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I'm awaiting an appointment with a specialist for a 'proper' diagnosis - probably Severe Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Seasonal Affective Disorder. I view my Self-Injury as an addiction, that is no doubt linked to my other mental health problems, but not caused directly by them.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?
    Yes, once.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?
    I have always avoided seeking treatment for my Injuries.
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?
    Yes, I have wanted to stop Self-Injurying for quite a while. After about 4 years of Self-Injury I wanted to stop as my partner didn't like it. About a year ago I wanted to stop for me, after I attempted suicide. I realised that I didn't want to die. I'm following a 12 step program for my Alcoholism and Binge eating, and this is helping with my attempts to stop Self-Injury. Speaking to other people who have self-injured has helped.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself?
    I have no view on others' Self-Injury - I only comment on my own personal experiences.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same?
    It stayed the same. From the beginning, I Self-Injured in a controlled manner, ensuring that I never went too far or required any medical attention.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?
    Thats what I'm trying to do. The 12 steps are teaching me how to cope with life without any of my destructive coping strategies.
  16. Did you ever regret SI?
    I regret being so open in the beginning, and I regret my Husband finding out about my lapse a year ago. I don't regret any of the actual acts as they helped to prevent suicide. I don't regret my suicide attempt, as that was the rock bottom which forced me to do something - to give up drinking and try and rebuild my life.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’?
    I think the new awareness does both increase and decrease peoples willingness to 'come out'. While there is a great deal more understanding these days, shows like 'Hollyoaks' which show the usual teenage self-harmer haven't helped the general understanding of many people. Lots of people (sadly some professionals too) still think that Self-Injury is just about attention seeking.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like.
    Well written.
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.
    No, thanks.

Ileana 05-11-2007 03:02 PM
  1. Male/Female: Female.
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure?: Eleven years old.
  3. How do you SI?: I'd cut myself. Arms and legs mostly.
  4. Do you try to hide it? How?: I did, I'd cover my wrists with things and wear sweaters...and never wore shorts that were too short.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?: Endorphines. It's a pain killer, when you're in pain and you get hurt phisically the attention shifts to the phisical pain providing a temporary relief of the emotional pain as the body releases endorphines to compensate for the external injury. It's higly addictive though.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? My best friend knew, from the start. I told him. He reacted intelligently didn't approve byt didn't make me feel guilty either. I've told people I've trusted through out my life.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?: I was practically forced to do it and no, it didn't help at all. Sadly.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?: Yes but was afraid and didn't get any support from parents.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one?: No. I was told about one thing but turned out it didn't fit and the perosn who told me hadn't even talked to me for more than two minutes so had no criteria to diagnose me.
  10. Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?: No disorder.
  11. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?: No.
  12. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?: I haven't, thank gods.
  13. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?: Yes. I quit about a year ago. I did it for my boyfriend because it hurt him to see me hurt myself and I didn't want to hurt him. My relationship with him helped, my situation at home did not.
  14. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself?: Maybe. I know some people get lebled with disorders based solely on the fact that they SI and that is not right and not a criteria in itself to diagnose a person with something. It's not a disorder though, just a coping mechanism and people without a disorder can become addicted to it too...the common thing in it is pain, emotional pain, wether the product of a disorder or external influences.
  15. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same?: Got a litle worse with time but not much.
  16. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?: Yes, definitely.
  17. Did you ever regret SI?: Most of the time, especially after it begins to heal and you see the scar you'll end up with.
  18. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’?: Yes, it does.
  19. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  20. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

[...LoveKillsSlowly...] 05-11-2007 04:24 PM
  1. Femalee
  2. I started self injuring at 15
  3. Cutting
  4. Yes, i hide it with long sleeves or arm warmers
  5. It m akes me feel better at that moment because it's all i can think about.
  6. I told a couple of my close friends, my boyfriend and my mom. i told my close friends and my boyfriend by talkin to them when i found out they self harmed too. i told my mom in a letter, she was angry and made me feel worse. but i thought it would be a good idea to toell her as i didnt like hiding them all the time. i told my bf and friends because they were willing to help me. and they reacted supportively.
  7. I havent yet, im goin to the doctors on tuesday because i think i have depresssion or something, so it may come out then maybe. but i dont no.
  8. I have often thought about it, but ims cared that it will reach my mom who thinks i have stopped and i dont want that to happen.
  9. Not yet tho it's possible it will happen in the future.
  10. I think, if im diagnosed with a mental disorder it could account for a good portion of my SI.
  11. Yes.
  12. I've never had to go the hospital for my SI
  13. I quit once for about 3 months bcos my bf at the time threatened to dump me if i didnt. it was really hard but i did it for about three months and then decided that it was my body and my life so screw him. iv often thought about giving up, but dont see it happening at the moment because i dont no how i would cope without it.
  14. It's like anorexia and bulimia, so yes, maybe it should.
  15. It gets worse during bad times and better during the better times, but apart from that it has stayed about the same i guess.
  16. If i could find something healthier yea, i probably would stop SIing, but i havent found that yet!
  17. Alot of the time iv wanted to go swimming or wear short sleeves and i couldnt because of the scars and cuts.
  18. Yes, in some ways because some ppl openly 'bad mouth' it, but the awareness of it also means that its a more accepted thing so ppl can feel slightly better about 'coming out' knowing that there isnt such a stigma attactched to it due to the awareness of it.
  19. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  20. The reasons behind SI should have been mentioned maybe

Emma_bear 05-11-2007 04:53 PM
  1. Female
  2. Sixteen
  3. I mostly cut, but I have hit myself also.
  4. I wear jackets all the time and also have many bracelets and wear sweat bands.
  5. As a form of punishment against myself, And to be able to feel pain.
  6. I told one of my closest friends, she also Self-harmed so she didnt react shocked or anything, I guess she already knew. I also told my tutor at my last University and the counsellor on campus there, both of them were very supportive and understanding.
  7. Ive only ever spoken with a counsellor at my last University, I only attended one meeting so I didnt really gain anything from it.
  8. I desperatley want to seek help, I guess im just scared what the doctor will say if I go to him, also Im scared of them not taking me seriously and to the other extreme, becoming dependent on medication.
  9. No, Ive never been diagnosed with any disorder.
  10. A few times when I was at college, when things got very bad for me mentally, in recent times it is just to hurt myself and there is no suicidal intent.
  11. Ive never been to the hospital about SI.
  12. I wanted to quit SI because the scarring on my arms and legs were getting much worse and it was more difficult to hide them. I did quit for around 12 months but then lapsed back into the routine.
  13. Yes.
  14. Yes my SI has got much worse.
  15. Probably not, the pain and hurt I feel when i SI is the main reason I do it.
  16. Sometimes yes.
  17. I think we need more coverage of SI in soaps etc to help sufferers and to stop it being such a taboo subject.

Anansi 05-11-2007 05:14 PM
  1. Female
  2. 14/15
  3. Cutting, OD
  4. Yes, but cutting in places that are not seen often and covering them with bands etc
  5. I find it therapeutic, it helps me to stop crying and calm myself down and gives me something to focus on other than the bad things. Also, the pain factor. It gives me something to hold onto for days so that I can think about that instead of anything else.
  6. Yes, my best friends. Some found out and some I told - some reacted well and weresupportive. Some just accepted it and some accepted it and alter used it against me. Also, my mum. I wrote her a letter and she was very supportive, she basically jsut wanted to learn more about it so she could help me.
  7. Yes, but only at school. No, the nurse wasn't very well trained to deal with it (despite being an adolescent specialist!).
  8. Yes, because I was too young to go to the doctors and not ahve my parents told.
  9. No.
  10. Yes, OD's.
  11. Haven't.
  12. Yes, I still do. I decided about one and a half years after I started. I tried throwing everything away that I used and coming on here/talking to friends whenever I felt down. RYL definately helped and so did my friends, but throwing things away didn't really - they were still available.
  13. No. It is jsut a result of other disorders or stress in general.
  14. It did get worse with time but then eased off again.
  15. I don't think so. I think the fact that it is unhealthy makes me want to do it more.
  16. Always.
  17. I'm not sure. I think if there was a huge awareness drive and my school and other people "came out" I might do to. Especially if it would help others, so yes, I think it might.
  18. None.
  19. None.

bitheway 05-11-2007 05:33 PM
1. Female
2. 14
3. started by hitting punching kicking self, picking at scabs, then scratching, then cutting, and lastly oding and suicide attempts (sigh)
4. Yes i wear long sleeves now.
5. The physical pain helps cope with the emotional pain. Yes some of my friends know. I only told them after they showed me their scars and told me that they used to cut and were now recovered. I then told them that i still do cut and wanna quit and they want to help me quit.
6. Yes
7. no
8. Yes i have PTSD and i think it might connect with my cutting, idk
9. never cutting but other ways yes once
10. I was in the psych ward once....the staf was nice the patients were nice except for one....shudders
11. I wanna quit, so far its been 2 weeks since my last cut, over a year since i last kicked or punched, and a week since my last suicide attempt
12. yes
13. it got worse
14. yes
15. no
16. yea if more people understood that it was an addiction and a way to cope and it is really hard to quit i think it would be easier for people who self injure to reach out for help
17. It was fine
18. People who cut arent always suicidal....sometimes they cut to release the pain and feel more alive than they would with out cutting

hope51 05-11-2007 05:46 PM
1. Female.
2. 14.
3. Cutting, burning, OD.
4.Yes, by wearing long sleves, fingerless gloves.
5. I guess i see it as my way of coping, it depends how i feel to what i
get from it, sometimes it brings me back to reality, sometimes it's to
forget whats reality, sometimes its to get peace from myself (it's a bit
difficult to think when your hurting i guess,) sometimes its to punish
myself, so yer lots of reasons.
6. I've only ever told one freind, they acted a bit shocked it's never been
mentioned again, i told them beacuse it was i case of i needed to go to
hospital for stiches, and i was ment to being going out with them, i just
thought to myself no more lieing just tell them the truth.
7. Yes, and no it didn't really help because i didn't really feel able at the
time to talk about what was going on.
8. Yes, i wish i had the nevre to go see someone now but i'm just to
scared to take that first step.
9. No.
10.Yes.
11. Ok sometimes, sometimes they where reallly horrible though.
12. Yes about a year after i first started because it was getting too out
of control and it was effecting other areas of my life. Tried throwing
stuff away but if i wanted to SI that bad i could always find
something.
13. Yes
14. Got worse with time, doesn't seem to be getting any better.
15. Hmmm not sure, i would proberly give it go and take it from there.
16. Sometimes.
17. Not sure.

claireyfairy 05-11-2007 06:44 PM
  1. Female
  2. 12
  3. Cutting
  4. Sleeves, gloves, sweatbands
  5. Anger, blood, stops me crying
  6. Told my friends they were just worried, but soon shut up about it
  7. Was forced into counselling and it didnt really help, just got some pills.
  8. Have sometimes though I need help, but scared I guess,
  9. Just depression.
  10. NO but I did slit my wrist acroos the vein with the intention of passing out.
  11. n/a
  12. Tried, failed, stopp for a while, recently started up again more. Tbh, I don't really care if I've stopped or not. I cut then I move on and forget it.
  13. Hmm it would be too hard to define/explain
  14. It's got more frequent at times of stress but its not a regular thing, unless something sets me off.
  15. No I like the blood and the scars.
  16. Of course
  17. No idea...

jessye 05-11-2007 06:53 PM
  1. Female
  2. 11
  3. Pretty much anyway you can think of. Cutting, burning, hairpulling, self bruising, self poisoning, scratching, etc
  4. Depends. I cover up at work because I work in a little posh restaurant and I don't want to put the cutomers off their food! Apart from that, not really, unless I know people will get the wrong impression or if they are fresh injuries.
  5. Thats such a hard question to answer. I suppose its the standard answer, to alleviate emotional pain. But also to punish myself. To look as bad as I feel.
  6. Not really directly. People find out. The only person that I've had to tell was my doctor and my parents did that anyway. Reactions have been mixed. When I first told my parents it was horrible. But that was when they used to be violent and had been drinking and just didn't understand.
  7. Yes. Well it was mainly for the depression and it helped with that which helped with the need to SI.
  8. Yes. Because I was ashamed and didn't really want help deep down
  9. Just good old fashioned clinical depression
  10. Yes. I was depressed from about 9 and SI was a coping mechanism that I adopted to get through each day.
  11. No. Never
  12. With dignity and understanding I'm glad to say. They just did what they had to do.
  13. No. I still don't even though I don't do it anymore.
  14. No. I believe it is a symptom of other emotional distress.
  15. It got progressively worse.
  16. Yes. But nothing can compare or replace SI.
  17. Yes. Sounds pathetic and self involved but I am attractive but that is permanently marred now. And people don't often look past the scars.
  18. You know I think it will always be shameful and taboo. I think it depends on the person and their support networks
  19. I think you covered it but some of the longer questions should be split into several questions
  20. It never ever goes away. This is going to be with me forever. And I'm scared by it but also thrilled. Its sick.

Artyom 05-11-2007 08:24 PM
  1. Male/Female - Male
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? - 14
  3. How do you SI? - Mainly cutting
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? - yes, wear sweaters and hoodies.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? - lately its just because i enjoy the sensation i get out of it. just the feeling and sight of blood.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? - ive told a few close friends so i wouldnt have to keep things hidden so much, just wanted to get it out there. their reactions were good, no one ever really got mad or anything negative.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? - not because i wanted to, but because of the rents finding out and making me.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? - there have been times i wanted to before i got caught, and when i did get caught and parents made me get help, i didnt like it.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? - severe depression, and i feel that there is a connection most of the time just because i always feel so sh*tty.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? - no
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? - ive only been to the hospital once and had cuts all over me, but i was unconcious from where my parents took me there when they discovered i took too many pills.
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? - yes ive wanted to and tried. and ive gone a decent amount of time without it, then the urges just came back and i decided i really didnt want to. its just something that makes me feel good and something that will always be a part of me. when i tried to quit, i basically just quit cold turkey and it was hard at first the gradually get easier, but like i said, intense urges would just hit me out of random.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? - hmm im not real sure.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? - got significantly worse over time.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? - thats hard to tell.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? - many times.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? - yes for both.

musik-addikt 05-11-2007 08:27 PM
  1. Male/Female female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 12 years old
  3. How do you SI? cut / burn / blunt force
  4. Do you try to hide it? yes How? always in places where it wouldn't be seen, even in summer
  5. Why do you SI? to try to express how I'm feeling on the insideWhat do you get out of it? nothing positive, just guilt and more self hatred
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? they were pretty supportive they were a social owkrer and nurse do they had to be How did you tell them? through a letter then eeventually showing them
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? depression - they are most likely related and dperession is possibly not the only disorder thati have
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? no
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? gets worse depending on whats happening in my life
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?
  16. Did you ever regret SI? everyday
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? yes if it wasn't so taboo then ppl would talk aobut it more
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

suicidal~lullaby 05-11-2007 08:40 PM
  1. female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 12ish
  3. How do you SI? with scissors to the wrist, picking scabs, scratch up hands with satfy pin
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? yes, with wrisstbands or pulling long clothing on
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? because i have no other outlet, the pain that matches how im felin inside
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? yes, and they said if i cut again, they will
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? no, because my dad says i dont need a consilor
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? yes i want to, becuase my dad says i dont need someone to slove my problems for me
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? maybe depression, chemical inbalancd perhaps, a lil anger management, and maybe
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? not...yet
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? nope not at all
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? i tried. but it never worked. but since i cant get counsiling, cutting is my only out let because writing just doenst help
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? it could be
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? worse. but scissors are my best friend when i am depressed
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? maybe salt and ice, but i like seeing the blood
  16. Did you ever regret SI? eventually
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? i hVe come out about being bi but that isnt what im cutting over. but yes it could be
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire. I have cut on and off since middle school and i dont plan on revocering fully because even if a try i just end up doing it again. so i dont think there is help for someone like me.

Stellata 05-11-2007 08:41 PM
  1. Male/Female female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 26, but had ED before then [I'm 37 now]
  3. How do [did] you SI? scratching, hitting
  4. Do you try to hide it? yes at work, no I don't hide it in therapy or at home How? Cover up with sleeves.
  5. Why do you SI? relief from feeling raw and vulnerable, express what my alternate self cannot put into words. it helps me to cry sometimes. self punishment
  6. What do you get out of it? initial relief, then shame and vulnerability and rawness
  7. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? Yes - My therapist, my GP, my flatmates, also my closest friend, as well as members of a group I was in a while back.Very understanding and empathic. How did you tell them? Face to face. My flatmates was after they saw the bruise on my arm.
  8. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? I am in therapy for depression, severe anxiety and complex PTSD, working on overcoming self harm is an integral part of that. Yes, it really helps.
  9. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
  10. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? recurrent depression, complex PTSD, panic and anxiety. yes. it's mostly past trauma related
  11. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? no
  12. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? not been
  13. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I am in recovery. 2 and a bit years free with a few slip ups when things got too much. - every 6 months or so.
  14. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? if it fits the person, maybe yes, although maybe a separate connected illness like maybe chronic stress might be more appropriate in some cases where criteria aren't met for anxiety or depression, for example.
  15. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Much the same, although when things are really bad, that's when I hit myself. It happens very very rarely now.
  16. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?
  17. Did you ever regret SI? I try to understand it compassionately, not judge myself.
  18. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? not sure
  19. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  20. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire. I put in my age as it was relevant.

xfallenangelx 05-11-2007 09:27 PM
  1. Female
  2. 14
  3. cut/scratch/burn
  4. wearing long trousers/tops/sleeves
  5. to punish myself, to deal with stress/upset/guilt. makes me feel calm and weak and able to settle a bit more
  6. my parents found out when i was in hospital for an ed, and they were extremely shocked and worried. i told my close friends and my boyfriend, and although they find it hard to understand, they are supportive and dont make me feel weird.
  7. i was in 2 different units, one for an ed and one for depression and sh, and i think the second unit did help me with understanding and stopping cutting a lot
  8. if i don't want to tell people its because im ashamed and because i think they cant help me
  9. anorexia and depression. the sh is definately linked to both.
  10. yes
  11. like they were scared of me
  12. no because i was scared i wouldnt be able to cope without it, but yes because i knew that it was spiralling out of control. i have stopped , after i went too far and i knew i had to stop or i would end up killing myself. i also knew i would lose my boyfriend if i carried on. i wrote in my diary a lot, relied on music and excercise to distract me from bad thoughts, and being with my boyfriend a lot, and he was the biggest support to me.
  13. no i don't, i think there is always something behind it, and it is more a symptom of somthing else
  14. got worse - i had to do it worse and worse to get the same feeling.
  15. yes but even now, after being 150 days free, nothing else feels quite the same.
  16. yes i hate it when people im with get self conscious of my scars, although most of the time im fairly comfortable with them, and accept them as part of me.
  17. yes, there is such stigma/taboo/sterotype surrounding it.

xfallenangelx 05-11-2007 09:27 PM
  1. Female
  2. 14
  3. cut/scratch/burn
  4. wearing long trousers/tops/sleeves
  5. to punish myself, to deal with stress/upset/guilt. makes me feel calm and weak and able to settle a bit more
  6. my parents found out when i was in hospital for an ed, and they were extremely shocked and worried. i told my close friends and my boyfriend, and although they find it hard to understand, they are supportive and dont make me feel weird.
  7. i was in 2 different units, one for an ed and one for depression and sh, and i think the second unit did help me with understanding and stopping cutting a lot
  8. if i don't want to tell people its because im ashamed and because i think they cant help me
  9. anorexia and depression. the sh is definately linked to both.
  10. yes
  11. like they were scared of me
  12. no because i was scared i wouldnt be able to cope without it, but yes because i knew that it was spiralling out of control. i have stopped , after i went too far and i knew i had to stop or i would end up killing myself. i also knew i would lose my boyfriend if i carried on. i wrote in my diary a lot, relied on music and excercise to distract me from bad thoughts, and being with my boyfriend a lot, and he was the biggest support to me.
  13. no i don't, i think there is always something behind it, and it is more a symptom of somthing else
  14. got worse - i had to do it worse and worse to get the same feeling.
  15. yes but even now, after being 150 days free, nothing else feels quite the same.
  16. yes i hate it when people im with get self conscious of my scars, although most of the time im fairly comfortable with them, and accept them as part of me.
  17. yes, there is such stigma/taboo/sterotype surrounding it.

sazybel 05-11-2007 09:29 PM
  1. Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 13
  3. How do you SI? cutting, burning or overdosing depends
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? yes gloves long sleeves thick bracelets
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? if i'm anxious nervous annoyed or angrey it helps calm me down
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? yes i eventually told my form tutor at the time after her constantly asking what was wrong by asking if i could talk to her when she was free umm i don't remember how she reacted i wasn't looking at her maybe slightly surprised
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? well i was forced to see the doctor by the school and then they reffered me to a councilor at first it didn't but now it's starting to.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? yes I was scared i'm not good at talking to people.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? noDo you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? no
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? no i refuse to go for overdoses
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? yes about 2 years after i started i tried just stopping but it didn't work so i spoke to my form tutor to see if she had any ideas what i could do to help stop she suggested stuff i could try to do instead and helped get me counciling
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? hmm maybe in some cases
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? got worse
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? i don't think so i've tried a couple of things they help for a bit but not long term
  16. Did you ever regret SI? yes sometimes
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? no well maybe SH just generally seems to be something personal that you don't want other people to know about i suppose that could be down to what people think but often i think thats the way people prefer it anyway
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

DropDead- 05-11-2007 11:07 PM
  1. Female.
  2. 13.
  3. Cutting and overdosing.
  4. Yes,i wear arm-warmers and coats all the time. But if it's really hot,or i have no new marks i will let them free so to speak.
  5. Release,punishment.
  6. Yes,well i told my teacher,because i was always absent in P.E even though i was always in,so i told her. My mum and my friends were shocked,my mum got very angry too,she still shouts,but my friends are ok about it now.
  7. Yes,at first i had a counsellor for about 6 months,then went to family therapy at CAMHS,now i go to a hospital where i see my physc twice a week and yes they're really helping.
  8. .
  9. Yes i've been disgnosed with clinical depression,and yes i do think they're a link.
  10. Never cutting,only overdosing.
  11. Oh no,the staff are always nice,i'm sure it'll change when i'm no longer under age though.
  12. Yes,i've tried countless times,i tried to quit about a year and half after i started. I tried therapy,music,safer alternatives.Nothing helped as i'm still self-harming,but i'm still trying.
  13. No.
  14. Definetely get worse.
  15. Maybe one day,i can't cope without it right now.
  16. Yes and no.Yes because i've lost most of my friends,and because well i've wrecked my body obviously.No because it's helped me through these two years and i couldn't of survived without my blade. But i do regret it for a short time after i cut/o.d.
  17. Yes majorly.

Samz 05-11-2007 11:09 PM
  1. Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 13
  3. How do you SI? Cutting & OD mostly, I do occassionaly burn.
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? Yeh, I wear clothes which cover it.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? To punish myself for being such a bad person, to remind myself that I will never be good enough, & so that there is some way of getting all this upset and sadness out of myself, into something physical.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Yes. I told my tutor last year. She was absolutely amazing, she didn't force me to get help, she just told me it didn't change what she thought of me and that she was always always there if I needed her. It had been building for a few weeks that she knew something was up, she eventually kept me behind after a tutorial when I'd had a very bad day and I just burst into floods of tears and told her everything. A few friends have found out, and I told my boyfriend.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? I've had professional help for a few things, but not SI.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? Yes. I don't really know why, but I've always felt like there's so little they can do to help.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Bulimia and depression.
  10. Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? Yes definatly
  11. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Yes
  12. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?
  13. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I've never really tryed, I'm too scared to try and fail.
  14. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? No.
  15. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Worse.
  16. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? I would.
  17. Did you ever regret SI? Sometimes, but it's made me who I am.
  18. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes
  19. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  20. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

tweety pie 84 05-11-2007 11:18 PM
  1. Male/Female female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? i was 15
  3. How do you SI? i cut, and on severe occasions i have OD'ed
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? I hide it on every occasion except when ive been in a foreign country (where its hot and physically impossible, without passing out to wear long sleaves) and at the swimming pool, where i just have to deal with it. The short answer, permanent long sleaves.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? Because it take me away from the inner pain. The pain builds up to the point where it boils over and leads to self harm. Afterwards, i feel a relief but also a sense of guilt. The relief is stronger.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Yes. My social worker, psychiatrist, outreach, GP, some friends. My family also, although not through choice. I was admitted to hospital and then they found out.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? Yes, i have a social worker, psychiatrist, outreach, gp. Have also been involved with Crisis and Inpatient. Yes they do help. They cant the pain, emotions and thoughts away but they do help me to try to deal with them.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? na
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? Ive been diagnosed with BPD with associated low mood. I disagree with this diagnosis for various reasons, mainly because i feel like ive been labled because of the self harm. Self harm is a criteria for BPD.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Yes, both cutting and OD
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? Yes, more times than i can remember. I havent, however, been back since i was treated on the corridor in front of about 20 other patients, before being moved to the staff room!!! Some have been good, some have been very bad.
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I tried to quit from the day i started. As i got more and more ill the self harm got worse. I also noticed that the more i tried to quit, the worse it got. When i was in hospital in 2005, i made a decision that i wasnt going to quit, but allow myself, if i desperatley needed it, to do it. I noticed a big difference from around then that i self harmed a lot less. The longest period was the one i messed up today! 4 and a half months!
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? yes. that way, the doctors wont be as inclinded to just label self harmers with BPD. Some people argue it is a symptom of the underlying problem, but ED's are also symptoms, yet they get their own disorder label!
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? The severity of the self harm has definitly increased over time. But to be fair, over a long (ish) period of time. 8 years
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Yes, but no one can wave a magic wand. It wont happen
  16. Did you ever regret SI? Every day. I have a love/hate relationship with my scars, and it really gets to me in summer!
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes, but in both ways. Some people are completley ignorant of it, and are really scared when they find out. But some, who are more aware of it, just label you off. Ive been called attention-seeking, insane etc
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like na
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

FreeDilbert 05-11-2007 11:56 PM
1. Male
2. 15
3. Cutting, Burning, hitting
4. Carefully selecting easily hidden areas
5. a. no idea at all, honestly, and; it was either stop or loose my partner. whey! fun choice...
6. Yes, best friend and partner. one rather quietly, and continuingly so, the other just upset and angry and self blaming.
7. No. n/a
8. Yes, feared that they'd say there was nothing wrong with me and i wasting there time.
9. No
10. No
11. No,
12. I'd say no, I deserved the pain, at times i reakon i possibly even got a rush outta it, and although i've not stopped there's a lot of temptation whenever i'm stressed out.
13. I think SI is a sympton, not a disease
14. Ebbed and flowed, i was never a timetabled harmer, it would increase and decrease depending on circumstance etc.
15. hmm, I think i've fallen in line with the norm of the society, ie if your really fed up with work life and everything, drink until you can't feel anything anymore!... not really sure if that's healthier, but well, it's more socially acceptable.
16. I learnt a lot from it, first aid skills aside, though it could have warped my sense of humour slightly. i'd say on the whole no,
17. Fear of peoples preconceptions effect people when seeking support, family etc, and as you get older, work colleagues, there's always the fear of that if work find out maybe they'll find a way to sack me, then how do i pay the mortgage?
18. Sorry, can't think of anything really
19. ibid

mandi_the_fallen_angel 05-11-2007 11:57 PM
  1. Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 12
  3. How do you SI? I cut myself with a razor
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? Yes, i do it on the top of my legs and i always where jeans or long pants
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? I guess i SI because its the only way i an deal with the pain in my life right now.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? I told my parents once and they reacted by crying but pretended it never happend after that.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? No
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? Yes, but i am to afraid to ask for help.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? NO
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? NO
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? NO i havent
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I did want to quit and i did for awhile but i got back into it beacuse the work in school and my home life was getting way to stressful.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? i dont know.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Stayed the same.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Yes, of course.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? I regret it all the time.. but i cant stop.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Karamazing 06-11-2007 12:14 AM
  1. Male/Female I'm a girl
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? Eh on and off since i was about 13
  3. How do you SI? Cut, medicine, sometimes burn
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? Yes, and the list goes on forever.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? Being upset, hurt, angry, everything all at once, and I can't be that. I'm supposed to be happy. I made myself happy.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Yes, my friend chris who at first was so mad. And my 2 school couns. who helped me a lot.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? Yes and so far it has.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? No
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Eh, probably.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? No
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? Yes and I've been free five weeks. I was starting to look awful, and decided it was the best option. I just gave all my razors away to my friend chris for starters.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? Yes and no. It's a disorder because we can't handle emotions, and we have highs and lows, but most of us know it's not healthy, so that makes it not a disorder.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? WORSE.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Ugh I def. replaced it with smoking, knitting, and my art. Unhealthy and obsessions.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? No.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Nope, not really. I think the sterotypes we hear and sometimes see causes that. I'm def. not some emo goth girl, and I've SIed.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire. SI is an addiction, I think about it everyday all day, and I always will. I've just got to learn to live with it.

ghosts in the machine 06-11-2007 12:18 AM
  1. Male/Female female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? six
  3. How do you SI? cutting, burning, minor ODing, punching things, head-banging
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? bandages, long sleeves clothes, dark clothing
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? it feels amazing. It's like.. in that split second there's only me and the pain and nothing else exists, nothing bad no past no future, nothing in the universe exists, and there's relief in that
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? I told a teacher when I started cutting (at 13) because I was scaring myself - they just told me not to be silly and to stop it. And a few friends know about it, but it's never mentioned.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? I'm not sure.. it's made me remember the sexual abuse I went through.. I'd prefer to still have that repressed to be honest. I suppose the fact that I have someone to talk to has made things a little easier in the long run
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? people already thought I was a freak and I didn't want them to have more things to say about me
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? depression
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? ODed a few times
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? N/A
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I've never wanted to quit - because it works, basically. I'm convince I will die by my own hand; and I'm good at self destructing really. It's the one thing I excel at, weird as that may sound. However I have been forced to stop for the time being, and I just internalise the bad feelings for now. They'll come out soon enough.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? no - it's a symptom of what's wrong, be it distress or something, but it's not a disorder in it's own right
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? it got worse of it's own accord.. and escalated sharply when "events" happened
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? I doubt it
  16. Did you ever regret SI? nope
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? yes - you get labelled as attention seeking/emo/crazy most of the time
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire. subculture issues with SI? e.g. Goth/emo/other ways to dress, people's misconceptions about the SI not "fitting" with your image

Gizzy 06-11-2007 12:31 AM
  1. Female
  2. 14
  3. Cutting, bruising
  4. Yes, clothes, wristbands
  5. To cope. Relief.
  6. Yes. Close friends. Reacted quite well, although they don't understand.
  7. Yes. No.
  8. For a while. I was scared.
  9. No.
  10. Never
  11. N/A
  12. Yes. Self harm obviously isn't a healthy thing to do and I don't enjoy it, but I need it, so I've never managed to quit completely. I wanted to quit because I wanted to feel normal again. Be happy and sad and be able to cope with my feelings on my own rather than dealing with them with self harm.
  13. No.
  14. Gradually getting worse.
  15. Yes, but I am yet to find an alternative that gives the same relief.
  16. Yes
  17. Yes

.dejected 06-11-2007 02:48 AM
  1. Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 13
  3. How do you SI? Cutting, burning, OD
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? I do, I always wear long sleeves and big watches and never shorts.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? Because when I do it I get a minute where everything doesn't seem so big and hard. Sometimes it's for control, other times it's for punishment. There are many reasons why I do it.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? My guidance counsellor asked me, my parents know but I didn't tell them, lots of other people found out when I was formed the first time.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? Yeah... sort of. When I started needing stitches and staples I got them and they referred me to people.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? Because it freaks people out, it's easier to exist if you don't have to worry about people constantly asking you how you're doing, I hate lying as much as I hate talking about it and letting real people in.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? I have PTSD, BPD and OCD, I was also diagnosed with ednos last year.Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? Yeah, it's one of the criteria for BPD... I just feel worthless because of my stressor, and I hate my body and it's become a compulsion.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Once.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? A bajillion times, it depends really on the doctor and nurses on that day how you get treated. I find they're nicer to you when you're IP than when you're going in for stitches or with an OD.
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I do now, it's too hard. I'm seeing a psychologist, a counsellor and a psychiatrist. I'm doing everything they tell me to do, I'm really trying... :(
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? Yes I do.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? It got much worse with time, I find myself pushing to go deeper, I just don't get the same sense of relief from little cuts as I do from big ones 'proper cuts'.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Heck yes, if someone would find me a quick fix I'd do it in a heartbeat.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? All the time, I'm this disgusting, tainted, scarred slasher freak.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes, it's become a taboo. Also, now when you hear about someone SI'ing you automatically think 'emo'.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like.
I think you did a really nice job. :)
  1. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Damnation. 06-11-2007 03:48 AM
  1. Female
  2. The very, very first time was 15, I think, but it only became a problem just before I turned 17
  3. I cut
  4. Yes, by keeping the marks covered up
  5. Sadly, with me, it's an addiction. It helps me to vent some stress. If I can't SI for whatever reason, then it makes my feeling of stress worse, and I want to SI even more
  6. My friends, and they wanted to see
  7. Not specifically for my SI, but I've seen several counsellors for my mental ill health in general. And no, it didn't help
  8. I've never wanted to seek professional help. First, because I didn't want my mum to find out (even though that ship has long since sailed) and now I'm reluctant, because I'm scared of recovering
  9. No
  10. No
  11. Yes. I was whisked off to the local A&E, where I had to wait for an hour or so to see a nurse, who asked what happened and placed a temporary bandage on my shoulder, and then told me that I'd have to wait a further two hours to see a doctor to get proper treatment, and when I got given a bed, I was asked if it was a suicide attempt, was told about the danger of using something to SI that's dirty and asked if I wanted to see a psychiatrist. Said yes (even though I didn't really want to), waited another hour for her, during which a nurse came to patch me up with steri-strips. After I finally finished talking to the psychiatrist, I was allowed to go home
  12. Sort of. I tried to quit once, purely because I'd been keeping a note in my RYL signature on when I was cutting, and realised 'hey, I've been almost a month free! I might as well try and give it up =D’ I think it was over a year since I started when I tried to give it up. And as for what I did, I tried to go cold turkey. Not something I’d recommend; I failed spectacularly. The urges came back after almost a month, got stronger and stronger, my self control weakened, and after three months, I gave in, cut, and incidentally, that was when I had to go to A&E
  13. Unsure
  14. The severity of my SI fluctuates, depending on the stress I’m under. When things all went to hell with my mum, I started SIing every damn night, up to fourteen times, and when I got away from her, I was able to slow down, and try and give up, and since I failed it’s gotten worse and calmed down again once more
  15. I’d certainly give it a try
  16. I think so. It worries my friends, and I tend to try and hide in, instead of come out and talk about it. I don’t always feel remorse though, only sometimes
  17. …I’m not sure I understand this question. What I think does have an effect on peoples’ willingness to come out and admit it, is the general misconceptions that float around about SI. I think that without the stigma of being labelled an attention seeker, a lot of SIers might find the strength within themselves to be honest about it, and seek help. The ignorance of those who’ve never been in a situation where they feel the need to SI probably hinders those who do to talk about it (I hope that makes sense!)
  18. N/A
  19. N/A

nikkib 06-11-2007 07:32 AM
  1. female
  2. 15
  3. razor blades
  4. yea bandages, long sleeves, makeup
  5. cant express myself, bad childhood, crazy family, took all my problems out on myself
  6. a couple of friends back in hs dont really remember what i said, i told a couple of my college friends i used to do it and dont do it anymore and my boyfriend knows and hes very understanding
  7. yea forced when i was younger by my parents so i didnt get anything out of it, but i started seeing a new counselor on my own a little over a year ago and its helping me come to terms with myself
  8. i wanted to seek help for a long time before i finally got the courage to do so
  9. no, but I've been told i have an addictive personality and obsessive compulsive behavior, which is connected
  10. no part of the reason i SI is because of people close to me and suicide, what a coward move
  11. never have, and hopefully never will
  12. i have wanted to quit so many times, i get rid of my razors and keep a journal but it only lasts so long before im back to my old ways
  13. yes then it wouldnt have to be so secretive
  14. gets worse then better then worse then better, depending on how consistently im doing it at the time
  15. of course, but nothing seems to have the same effect
  16. i regret it all the time, i never knew how addicting it was
  17. yea people are ashamed and embarassed and dont want to be looked at as crazy.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Victim+Of+Hate 06-11-2007 08:07 AM
  1. Female
  2. cutting,breaking/dislocvating bones
  3. Doyou try to hide it?How?Yes.bandages,excuses
  4. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? i SI because i need a realease.It's like,everything bottles uo and is pressurized and SI releases the presure a little.I get a feeling of release.
  5. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? I did n't chooose for anyone to find out.Getting changed for games,the other girls saw and one blurted it out to another member of staff at my school,who told my year head.I was forced to see the school councillor which didn't help as i couldn't /wouldn't trust her.
  6. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? Yes,via a doctor but couldn't/caan't because of fear of how they would react.
  7. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? No.
  8. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Yes.Several times.
  9. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?Like i was just any other patient,aapart from putting me in a room on my own and whispering thigns so i couldnt here ><
  10. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? somedays i just can't be bothered to quit because it is such hard work,but te SI leaves me emotionally drained,which is also hard.~I am trying to qyit and have been for the past 6 months so about 5/6 yrs after i started.i find having something drawn on my hand helps,not the heart or buytterfky technique,my own,personal design.
  11. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? Yes
  12. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Much worse.
  13. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Probably not.
  14. Did you ever regret SI? I regret people finding out and that i wasnt more careful,but i dont regret the actual act of SI upon myself,no.
  15. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes.it's not aware enough/aware for the wrong reasons and people are too scared to "come out".
  16. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like split some of the multiple questions up?
  17. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.none

Critically Wounded 06-11-2007 08:57 PM
  1. Male/Female
    Female.
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure?
    16.
  3. How do you SI?
    Cut, OD, alcohol abuse
  4. Do you try to hide it? How?
    Yes I do. I hide cutting myself by doing it on my thighs (which no one ever sees). I hide the alcohol abuse by drinking in private (in my room etc.)
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?
    At first it was a way of expressing how I felt, to control it so no one saw all those bad emotions. Now I do it to cover my feelings or sometimes to prove that I can still feel.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them?
    I haven't told anyone but a friend knows because she's on this website. My family know from a suicide attempt. My father thought it was a "fad" you know cuz like all the cool kids are doing it *rolls eyes* My friend understands because she does it herself and was very supportive.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?
    I have professional help but that was originally for depression but self-harm is obviously a factor involved. I believe it's made me learn a lot about myself and how my mind works, how depression works and how to use my life positively instead of getting depressed and hiding away. This in turn has helped me to reduce self-harming - I haven't self-harmed for nearly a year now. I wouldn't call myself recovered though, I'll constantly be in recovery for the rest of my life, but that's a battle I'll have to face.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
    It took a lot of courage to get help. Fear from not being understood, or put into a psych ward stopped me seeking help. Fear that people would see my vulnerability and use it to their advantage was a big worry.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?
    I've been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. There's undoubtedly a connection between them both and SI. Depression and anxiety makes you need to cope with a lot of intense emotions and alas self-harm was always there to help that.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?
    Yes - overdosing.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?
    The "regular" staff who weren't mental health professionals treated me badly. I felt they didn't understand suicide, self-harm or the reasons behind it at all. They called me selfish and that I only thought about myself, they also suggested I never intended to die but just for attention. The mental health team however I felt listened to me - at first at least. But after the initial help from them they seem to have given up on me now, as I'm not seen as a risk to myself as much however I'm not better. They seem to give up when you're off the critical list, then the cycle starts over.
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?
    Like I said above I am in recovery. Self-harm has never bothered me or I've never thought it was "bad" - to this day I don't see a harm in it as sometimes it's been a survival tactic for me. The reason I gave up was for my boyfriend. He was disappointed when I slipped up and couldn't really understand my "need" for it.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself?
    Not really but then I don't think depression or anxiety should either. Often you're not just one disorder you're a mixture and everyone is individual with individual feelings, coping mechanisms and everyone needs a different support plan it's not a clear cut treatment for it. I hate being labelled as "Subject X, Depression and anxiety". I'm a person - get to know me outside of that to discover the root to help solve it not just as a disease.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same?
    I go through spits and spouts. Sometimes it'd be really bad other times I wouldn't self-harm at all.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?
    Probably not - part of the point of self-harm is the pleasure to destructing yourself. The way I saw it I was a bad person and I wanted to die so destruction was a GOOD thing.
  16. Did you ever regret SI?
    No - To this day I don't regret it, it makes me who I am.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’?
    I think SI awareness has pros and cons. The con is that the stereotype a self-harmer carries often makes it seem an absurd thing to do and you're a freak for doing it or whatever when in reality you're not. The pro is that to come out of the self-harming closet means you can start to help yourself by finding out causes and ways to cope in a different way if that's what you choose and to get support.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.
I think it's good that you want to raise awareness of self-harm but unfortunately some people are too deluded and their opinions on self-harm will often be negative accept to thos who do it themselves. Prepare to be mocked, but equally hopefully helping someone "come out" and get help.

black_vortex 07-11-2007 04:57 AM
  • Female
  • Cutting? 10. Self Injurious behaviors like hitting self, I honestly cannot remember, for as long as I can remember. Maybe always?
  • Cutting, Bruising, Wound Interference/Scratching
  • For a long time I didn’t hide it, it was just blamed on me being clumsy. When I progressed a bit more, yes I hid it. Bracelets and watches, and hiding it by choosing to harm in areas I know won’t be shown off.
  • To cope. To know I can still hurt, to know I am still alive, to stop feeling, to feel and not be numb, punishment, and oddly sometimes – rewards.
  • Yes, many friends, and my boyfriend. All reacted differently, but all were supportive in their own way. Some I told in person, some over the internet. After explaining it, they all understand. Some I don’t discuss it with anymore, just having them be aware stops me from feeling like im lying. Some however, are the best support system I’ve ever had.
  • No I haven’t sought professional help.
  • Yes. This is complex. When 10, I told my best friend about my problems (self harm and suicidal feelings). She felt similar. We supported each other. I managed to pull myself out of it, she couldn’t. The school counselors were all so concerned about her, but couldn’t see that she was craving attention, and they couldn’t see I was/had been, the same, and probably needed help. I was hurt and upset, so I hated school counselors. This has only recently been fixed. Now I want to get help, but I haven’t built up the courage to go to the uni psychs yet. I want to, but im rather busy. But I have promised to do it by the middle of next year. Here’s hoping I’ll do it.
  • No. Im training to be a psych, so I won’t even think about what I ‘could’ have. Im too personally involved.
  • No. My SI and suicidal feelings were very separate, in both method, feelings, and timing.
  • I haven’t, however my mother worked in the emergency room in our major hospital here, and yeah, staff treatment is getting there, but old ideas, stereotypes and a lack of education are still major problems.
  • Yes. I’ve quit a few times. Sometimes just because I knew SI’ing would make me feel bad and guilty in the long run, so during short exam periods it was easier to fight off the urges, than to deal with the guilt. I went a long time without active self harm. It wasn’t a choice, it just happened. However, SI came back during a difficult time. I would have been about 16/17 when that happened. I decided to quit, for good, around my 17th birthday, due to a funeral of a friend. Distractions and friends support were far more important than holding ice or drawing in red ink.
  • As a SI’er? No. It is separate, I honestly believe that. However, as someone moving into the mental/health area, maybe. Not because I think it is, but because I think if it was, we may receive better funding, support and public awareness, which is important.
  • Mine was never very physically destructive. My self control in hitting, scratching and wound interference has increased, but no, not much difference. It was never a daily thing, so I never had to top the previous one to get the same high, meaning I never got into that dangerous circle.
  • Isn’t that what quitting is all about? Trying to do that? I’ve tried to find things that give the same effect, but nothing does. I think what makes more sense, instead of trying to find something the same, is to change what we prefer. So now instead of cutting, I say, read a cute fanfic or vid that makes me obsess a little. I prefer that now (kind of) to SI.
  • Yes, and no. I regret that I lost my innocence that way, that I practically have turned into a different person. But no, because it is me, whether I like it or not. And some of my best friends I have bonded with because of this. Love it or hate it, I accept it because it makes sense to.
  • Of course. However personally, while I know more awareness will stop counselors and teachers, and parents and friends and random people on the street being mean or stupid, making coming out easier, I would prefer people to not know about it. Because if they knew, I’d be ashamed. Like with my family. My mum works in health, so she knows about SI. I don’t want her to know I SI. However my friends, despite having known other people who do it/done it themselves/emo stereotypes, I would prefer to tell them. Because to them it’s just a me thing, not a ‘somethings wrong with her’ thing. I bet that doesn’t make sense, I wish I could explain it better. Despite that, we really need awareness, starting with the health profession and schools, since this is the frontline. Then the general public.
  • Good questions, however, most of it has been previously covered. Depends on the application of this survey as to whether that’s good or not. Some good questions that made me think, and will probably make a good report.
  • My answers are in the context that I have been stopped for over two years. But I remember what it was like vividly. Nothing extra to say that wouldn’t echo what others have said before me. Good luck.

what_the? 07-11-2007 01:22 PM
1. Female
2. 11
3. I cut, OD sometimes
4. Normally with long sleeves/trousers....I don't hide it when I'm with my close friends who know about my SI
5. It's about control, I think that I've been doing it so long that I don't have another way of dealing with things
6. Not deliberately, people just found out, I had to try to explain it at councelling
7. I was referred when I first ended up in Hospital...I would'nt have gone tried to find help on my own
8. No
9. Depression, dunno If that counts really
10. 3 times
11. I got sent there 3 times after I OD'd and a couple of times for stitches......It's awful, because I always feel like such an idiot, and like I'm wasting their time. I've never been treated badly, they've always tried to give me the help I needed...there's always at least one memeber of staff who seems to judge you though
12. I keep trying, but everytime I do, it just seems to get worse......I do want to quit, I just can't seem to find the best way
13. I really don't know
14. Yes, it goes in phases though
15. If it had the same effect, like making me feel in control and stuff, yeah
16. When people found out(it's my own thing to worrry about) and when I've had to miss out on things because of it, in the summer, most of the time really
17. Maybe it's because people who SI are so stereotyped, I don't know

mysticshadow 07-11-2007 06:05 PM
  1. Female
  2. 7
  3. usually cut, sometimes burn
  4. yes, wear longsleeve, pants, armsleeves
  5. sometimes it numbs me, sometimes it makes me feel alive
  6. yes some of my friends know, my fiance knows, and my therapist knows...it is hard on my fiance, she doesn't know how to handle it.
  7. I have been in and out of therapy...I don't know if it is helping me...sometimes it is just nice to have someone to talk to that cannot tell anyone what I say.
  8. Sometimes yes, when I wanted to SI, I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to be put in a hospital
  9. Yes, I've been diagnosed with DID, I know there is a connection there.
  10. Not that I can recall, but there have been times when it has gone too far
  11. They did not treat me fair. They treated me rough and unfair. *shivers* brings back bad memories
  12. I've tried to quit several times by following the alternatives (like journaling, or staying somewhere public) and this will work for a couple of months sometimes, but it always seems to come back.
  13. Yes
  14. It seemed to get worse with time, like an addiction
  15. I hope so
  16. Sometimes yes and sometimes no, sometimes I am proud of my scars and sometimes I am ashamed by them (I guess it depends on who sees them)
  17. Yes
  18. I think it was fine...good luck on your paper
  19. none

x-dying-inside-x 07-11-2007 06:44 PM
  1. Male/Femalefemale
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 11
  3. How do you SI? cut, burn
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? yes, long sleeves
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? helps me get alot of things out
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? alot of people know about my self-harm
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? yes i did, its didnt help at all
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?depression and ptsd
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? yes
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? yes, they looked after me
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? yes i did, i stopped it for six months but i couldnt cope without it
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? no
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? worse
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? ive tryed and they have never worked
  16. Did you ever regret SI? yes
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? yes
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

e16 07-11-2007 07:24 PM
  1. Male/Female female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 14
  3. How do you SI? cut.
  4. Do you try to hide it? yeah i try to cut in places that it wont be seen.How?jumper if i cut on my legs wil use long socks
  5. Why do you SI? makes me feel better, like all the bad comes out. And if i feel fuilty about something il take it out on my self.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? yeah i told my older sister How did you tell them? she got very upset, made me feel wors didnt help my SI . i kinda had to bretend to her that i was better thaught, as id hurt her enough.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? no as people say the doctor puts SI down on your record, this would effect my chances of geting a job in the future. did it help you?
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? yes, was sgairdIf yes why didn’t you?
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder?nope If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? yeah.. Only when i get my really bad days!
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? No i havent, ive always dred that happening
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? Yes i have tried, it lasted about a month..
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? no
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? dipends whats going on in my life.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? of course
  16. Did you ever regret SI? every day
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? not sure
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Silent_Screams 07-11-2007 07:46 PM
answers
 
  1. Male/Female Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 13-14
  3. How do you SI? Cut
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? Yes, wear long sleeves
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? To punish myself for being a faiulure, relieve stress, guilt, anger etc...
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Yes, i've just recently come out infront of my Perfroming arts class...I asked my teacher if i could spend 10 minutes at the end of lesson to speak 2 them about my S/I so it wouldn't b as much of a shock when and IF i finally come to class with short sleeves.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? Yer kinda and NO! i felt guitly for wasting peoples time!!!
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? I feel at the current moment i need help, but i'm affraid i will be made to go hospital, also i don't believe i deserve peoples time and attnetion.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? I have A LOT of anger mostly towards myself, i suffer with depression and started S/H to deal with my issues around food.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? No
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? Stiched me up and sent me home...OH and informed the school *grrrr*
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I've been self harming for just over 5 years now, there have plenty been times when i've tried to stop but i often tend to relaps. I stopped S/H when i joined college and lasted for just over a year...Because of my scars i feel that this has jeopardised my chances of becoming a professional dancer and this has resulted in me S/H again...i am currently trying 2 quit and have spoken to teachers and councesllors in seek of help
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? No i feel it's a way of coping, dealing with issues and underlining problems
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Worse
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? I doubt it
  16. Did you ever regret SI? i regret it nearly every day of my life, i feel it has jeopardised my future, job chances, relationships etc... but at the same time in ways i believe it has helped my to grow. meh
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Maybe for some... but i feel S/I is often very personal and is a secretive act.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Claire2 07-11-2007 08:59 PM
  1. Female
  2. 14
  3. Mostly cutting. I have also burnt, scratched and hit myself
  4. I don't hide my scars. If I had fresh cuts I would hide them by doing them where (I hope) no one would see.
  5. It can calm me down..after 6 years I'm still not really sure to be honest
  6. My friends knew, can't really remember how they knew, some thought I was a complete idiot some were a little more understanding. I had a friend who had an ED and also self harmed who tried to help me. I had a boyfried who self harmed and we just kind of accepted it in each other and didn't try and make each other stop.
  7. No
  8. I didn't really think anyone could help me or make me stop apart from myself
  9. Depression and Anxiety. I suppose there must be some kind of link. Surely if there wasn't something wrong with me I wouldn't need to do it?
  10. I tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose. When cutting myself I never think it's goig to kill me. Although self harm and suicide can be closely linked they are completely seperate actions with different purposes and expected outcomes.
  11. N/A
  12. I wanted to quit SI a few weeks after I started but couldn't. Sometimes I'd stop for a few days or weeks but then start again. To try and stop I looked up tips and alternatives on the internet, for example I'd put my tools in a matchbox and wrap it up in cellotape and elastic bands. I stopped for two years because I really was ready to do it, which meant even though I still got the urges, it was easier to ignore them.
  13. Not really. I think it's more of a symptom of a problem.
  14. It got much worse.
  15. I'd try it.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? Most times I did it. But looking back it's what I had to do to cope. I'm covered in scars but that rarely bothers me.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Errrmm I'm not sure. I think a lot of "awareness" about the subject today comes from t.v programmes like Hollyoaks and doesn't cover any real understanding of the problem and can just lead to self harmers being stereotyped further.

this too shall pass 07-11-2007 09:18 PM
  1. Male/Female
Female
  1. How old were you when you started to Self Injure?

16
  1. How do you SI?

Burning and cutting plus overdosing
  1. Do you try to hide it? How?

no
  1. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?

Release from whats going on in my head
  1. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them?

Mum. Councillors, pycyhtrist have all been beneficial tyo my recovery
  1. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you?
I told professionals but I recovered on my own although being in hospital for 5 days and not being able to harm helped
  1. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you?

N/a
  1. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI?

I have clinical depression and pychosis I think there is a link
  1. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide?

Yes ive4 taken overdoses slashed my wrists and tried to hang myself all with the intention of death n been left with se3rious injuries
  1. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you?

Well no 1 refered to my SI
  1. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not?

I quit for ten months after 6 years of doing so I wanted to quit for myself but being unable to for five days in hospital helped me to quit also I had the support odf my case worker aqnd pyschiatrist
  1. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself?

yes
  1. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same?

Got deeper and longer
  1. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative?

No I rely on it, I think im addicted
  1. Did you ever regret SI?
when it went to deep
  1. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’?

Thers not enough coverage or positive attidute towards it like there isd to EDs
  1. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  2. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

everythingwhereitbelongs 07-11-2007 09:30 PM
  1. Female
  2. 13
  3. cut. Have OD'd in the past and burnt.
  4. Yes. When I was in the peak of my self harm 2004/5 I would generally only wear long sleeves and covered the gashes with arm socks, sweat bands, anything I could. I also used to cut on my legs which were easily covered by trousers, until they began to get really big and bad and showed through my tights when I did ballet, so I stopped that
  5. When I used to self harm religiously, there were lots of reasons. The main one I guess was trying to find a reason, trying to find a meaning to everything. I was 13/14 and feeling so lost and alone in the world, and SI made me know that I could feel and that I was in control. It was like I could see the hurt and fear being purged from beneath my skin, and those precious minutes where it was just me and a blade were my sancitity, the only time in the world that I could feel vulnerable. Putting my sweatbands back on was like putting back my armour on, I continue being strong and brave to the outside world. Now however, things are different. I hadn't cut for over 18 months until a couple of weeks ago, and now I just keep going over and over the cuts to make sure they scar. The motive this time is very different. It's not an expression of the turmoil within, but more of a marker, a reminder of how strong I can be. However, I know that if I continue like this, it has the potential to go out of control. But I want it to scar so that I remember.
  6. In the peak of my SI, initially, I confided in the youth worker at my church, who, little did I know, was actually professionally obliged to tell my parents as I was potentially in danger. Aside from that, there were a couple of people a bit older than me from my church who I would 'confide' in-and by that I really just mean sit with them days on end in silence, just trying to feel safe and secure in their presence.
  7. No
  8. Yes. I still do. Even though i feel that I have gotton over the main bout of SI, there are still a lot of other things in my life that affect me. I want to understand my brain, and my being, I want to feel happy with my life and who I am, and be stronger and braver and better, but I don't know how on earth I would start the conversation if I ever made an appointment with a doctor. I had a mentor during the last 18 months of school during my parents divorce (at this point I was over the main bout of SI but still harming occasionally) but never had to oppurtunity to tell her. It never came into conversation, and I'm not brave enough to put myself out there and start it myself. I regret that.
  9. I suffer from tricholtillamania, which is an obsessive compulsive disorder where you pull your hair out from the roots. I've had this for about 7 years but only recently have began to understand it. I belive that it is a form of self harm, although this is debateable amongnst sufferers. Not much at all is really known about the condition, or how to stop it, but I belive that the behaviour is strongly linked with SI. Other than that, I've not been diagnosed with anything official, simply because I am too afraid and proud to be labelled as having 'depression' or what not. However, on the other hand, a label such as that would make me feel better about myself as it would lead to more understanding about my behaviour and thought patterns. I also possibly have an anxiety/inferiority disorder, but again am too afraid to seek help.
  10. Yes and no. In 2004, I OD'd once and slit my wrists 5 times. I never ended up in hospital for any of them, but suffered a lot of pain and discomfort. At the time, I wanted to die, but looking back, I think that I was just seeing how far I could push myself in order to feel. Bringing myself that close heightend the feeling that I was alive
  11. No
  12. I quit self harm about a year after it began, perhaps a little longer. I then didn't cut for 18 months, but recently my patterns of behaviour have spiralled back to it again, but in a different mind set.
  13. No, because there is always a deeper, underlying catayst attatched to the behaviour. SI is the 'symptom' of a more serious 'disease' if you like. The 'disease' being something psychological, which can span from the simple want of attention, to more complex things such as to purge oneself of badness, feeling of worthlessness and as punishment.
  14. I would say that it went in an 'n' shape, starting small-simple tiny scatches with pins and heightened to huge gashes across my legs with blades, and taking blades with me whereever I went, and then gradually getting less and less until I stopped. My behaviour now is different, which is a bit worrying but o well.
  15. At the end of the day, if you take away the symton, another with take its place. I belive that when i stopped SI, my hair pulling issue subconsciously got worse, replacing it. Not until the underlaying issues within the psychology are addressed will things truely get healed.
  16. Yes. And No. I think I would say yes, simply because it is then so much hassle if people see it, and trying to cover it up and stuff, and I regret the messages and sterotypes that I am giving out. But I would also say a firm no, because I love my scars, they remind me of an old mentality that I shall not return to, they remind to stay focused and to strive to be better. This is why i am giving myself scars now, as a symbol of how far I've come. I may get them tattooed one day, who knows. Theyre in a kind of pattern so it wont look strange...
  17. Yes definately, because SI has such a stigma attactched to it now of being 'the thing to do'. I belive that certain bands/sterotypes glamourise it and make it look like a fad, an attention seeking thing that young people do, and that you are really really stupid for doing it.
  18. good on you miss keep this up this is really good, let us know your results n stuff!
xxxx

Minty 07-11-2007 11:41 PM
  1. Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 9
  3. How do you SI? started with scratching and banging head on walls now cutting
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? I do not cut where visable
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it?It relieves/ distracts from the emotional pain as well as a punishment for things I believe I have done wrong and to make me unattractive so they wont happen again.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? Counsellers they reacted with concern I told them verbally.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? Ye s it has before now at a standstill as arranging new medication others stopped working as my depression became more severe
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? No i always wanted it to be hidden
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Severe depression and psychosis Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? yes
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? yes
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? Very well the nurse was helpful and kind
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? Yes because its not a nice thing to do since I started cutting I wanted to quit. I used several distraction techniques and alternatives. They didn't work
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? No I think it is a symptom
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? Yes increasingly so
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? Yes
  16. Did you ever regret SI?Yes it hurts those I'm close to
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? I think it is easier to talk about now than before as it was unknown years ago and was thought of in a different light. however the stereotypes occurring also cause difficulty
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

Ingenue 08-11-2007 02:01 AM
  1. Male/Female- Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? I think i was 15
  3. How do you SI? Wound interferance,Pinching,Hitting myself,Cutting,Burning.
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? Yes. Long sleeves,Bandages (say ive sprained my wrist), or by doing it in places no one will see.
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? Because i can express my emotions about how i feel about myself.I can remember how disgusting i am by just looking at scars.It helps me cope when im upset,stressed and especially angry.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? I've Never told a soul.Except from strangers on sites like this.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? No
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? No
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? I never have because ive never been to the doctor about it.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? Not by SI ing.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? N/a
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I have, still do want to quit. The embarassment of knowing that youve cut yourself over something other people just deal with every day. Knowing your weak and a mess. & Hiding the scars is a lot of work, especially in summer when you just want to wear short sleeve tops etc.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? Maybe. But SI is different for everyone.So it would be extremley hard to categorise.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? It started small. Then i had a big relapse last january. Then it lowered again & recently ive had another big relapse & once again its got worse. It depends on whats happening in my life at the time.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? I don't know. Because i don't know what else will help. I would want too. I want to quit all together. But its too hard.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? Everyday.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? Yes. People believe it to be a attention grabbing thing.People only do it for attention & sympathy. There labelled weak,pathetic,stupid. etc etc. Main reasons ive never told my best friend & my mum.Because i know how they feel. People need to be educated on it. Because its so much different to what they believe.
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like Nope.
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire What do SHarmers think of the help thats out there for them.

KMS 08-11-2007 03:39 AM
  1. Male/Female Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 11
  3. How do you SI? cutting, scratching and digging my nails into my skin
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? yes, wearing long sleeves
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? I SI to get rid of all the built up emotion inside, and i feel relieved
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? yes. i told a close friend and she reacting kind of surprised when she found out. well she told me she tried to commit suicide and I just told her that I cut
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? no
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? yes maybe just to understand why or how it started
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? no
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? yes
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? no
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? yes. it was about 8 months after i started. I just tried to think about what my mom would do to me if she knew I didnt stop and found more cuts on my arm. being with my friends more and being out of school helped to keep my mind off of SI. What didnt help was the threat my mom gave me about making my life a living hell and her saying that i'll probably end up doing drugs and drinking.
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? maybe, depending on how bad it is
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? it got worse over time
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? yes but i know it would be hard at first to stop
  16. Did you ever regret SI? sometimes when i want to wear a new short sleeve shirt
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? yes. if more people were more aware of SI they might understand that its not something that a person does to get attention or to be cool. Maybe people would stop making comment like "go cut yourself" and really know what they're saynig
  18. State any comments about this questionnaire or suggestions to make it better if you like none
  19. State any additional comments or if you feel you want to say something that wasn’t addressed in this questionnaire.

monket 08-11-2007 07:49 AM
  1. Male/Female Female
  2. How old were you when you started to Self Injure? 13
  3. How do you SI? cutting
  4. Do you try to hide it? How? yes, by wearing long sleeves/pants/bracelets
  5. Why do you SI? What do you get out of it? To release pent up emotions, for punishment, and sometimes just to feel anything. I get release from it, and a certain calm.
  6. Have you ever told anyone that you SI? If yes, who did you tell and how did they react? How did you tell them? I haven't told anyone, but a couple of people have found out on their own with a certain amount of prying. They were concerned, and not to happy about it.
  7. Did you ever seek professional help for SI? If yes, did it help you? No. I got to a point where I really wanted to once, but I chickened out once I reached the door of the counseling center.
  8. Did you ever want to seek help but didn’t? If yes why didn’t you? Yes, I've wanted to, but I guess I'm just scared of what will happen once it's out in the open.
  9. Have you ever been diagnosed with a psych disorder? If yes, which one? Do you think there is a connection between the disorder and your SI? I've never been diagnosed with anything, seeing as I'm too scared to go see anyone about this.
  10. Have you ever SI with the intent of suicide? No, I think there are much easier ways to kill yourself if I was going to.
  11. If you have been to the hospital for SI, how did the staff treat you? No
  12. Did you ever want to quit SI? Please explain both yes and no answers. If you did decide to try to quit about how long after you started to SI did you decide you wanted to quit? What did you try to do to quit? What helped and what did not? I haven't ever wanted to quit. It works for me, wy would I?
  13. Do you think SI should be categorized as disorder in itself? No, I think it's usually a symptom of something else.
  14. Did your SI injury get worse with time or did it stay about the same? It comes and goes. sometimes i'm clean for months at a time, and other times I'm doing it every day. Just depends on what's going on in my life.
  15. If you could find healthier ways that would give you the same effects of SI, would you stop SIing and replace it with the healthier alternative? I don't know. It's hard to even think about giving it up now.
  16. Did you ever regret SI? Sometimes, yeah.
  17. Do you think the awareness of SI effects peoples willing/unwillingness to ‘come out’? SI awareness, while good intentioned, personally makes me uncomfortable. While it does a good job getting the info out there, I think it also gets all the stereotypes out there, and people who are living with this hardly want that.


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