To all the people who say they used to hurt at young ages i.e. 6/7 in sort of "passive" ways. Do you think that most kids are like that and we just notice it more because of what happened afterwards?
For example I have ALWAYS picked scabs from very young. And always took a kind of playground pride from scrapes and bruises when I fell over. I told my little brother once that because he was younger than me he couldn't hurt me and of course that meant he would kick/punch/pinch me and give me chinese burns at every opportunity whilst I kept saying it didn't hurt even if it did. Just generally pestering my body you know? Biting nails, wobbling teeth and pulling them out before they were ready etc.
And my dad taught me an old trick when I had to take a plaster off to bite or pinch somewhere else so the plaster coming off didn't hurt as much (classic pain transference?).
Who knows whether that was just me being a kid and showing off to my little brother how tough I was or me actually wanting to be hurt? I have often wondered about these kind of questions and I'm not sure of the answers.
I always felt "different" to my friends from about age 9. Started what I would consider properly harming around 12 (my first scar). Cutting with tools at 15. Always hid what I was doing from 12 onwards...i.e. when it became deliberate and intentional.
As a child perhaps a lot of it is attention seeking. If you are hurt a teacher or parent gives you a hug and kisses it better and makes you feel cared for.
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