My form of self harm doesn't leave cuts either but I tend to refer to myself as a self harmer when I talk to medical professionals but I don't define myself by that in day to day life. Personally I hated the term cutter when I used to cut and I really hate self mutilation - it just sounds gross
I disagree. I use the word "cutting" to describe what I used to do. I always hated the term "self-mutilation" though =/
Quote:
Originally Posted by silent_scars11
And I agree, "self-mutilation" has to be the worst, in my opinion. ... "Mutilation" is just such a strong word, and it caries far more shame/guilt than I personally associate with self-harm/self-injury.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
There are only two ways in which one can live their life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.
I agree I hate that term, I don't know why but it just has such a harsh tone and slang meaning behind it that makes me mad and cringe because it's like people are making fun of you or are dusgusted when saying cutter.
self mutilation ergh i really hate that. I don't self nutilate i cut or burn although if someone called me a burner i'd punch them lol. I hate theterms that are used its like we're no longer people we're are problems. I'd much rather say i have a self harm problem than i am a cutter, it's sounds so cringy. Could you imagine walking up to someone and going 'hey i'm cutter how are you' you wouldn't. I hate it when doctors call you a cutter or self mutilator it really bugs me :)
I will love myself despite the ease with which I lean toward the opposite.
i absolutely hate this word to me it feels like they are defining who i am? i am not a cutter or someone who self harms i am catherine a caring person that works with the elderly and really enjoys it.
it really gets to me as we are not a group of people defined by the term cutters or whatever we are individuals in society that have had it tough going. and should be treated with respect not with labels
Earlier i found myself questioning in me, what iam, i was telling my self ' your self harmer' you cut your body so that realisation has hit me, found my thinking upsetting, a nurse said its a coping mechanism so that my mind went back to, it was her that more or less told me about 3/4 years ago. i didnt understand what am i doing i still dont fully understand so i cant separate those two and choose, but i did in my mind earlier think how does world see you with out them knowing .. and said your self harmer.
Laughter is a direct route to the soul. It broadens your perspective, keeps you healthy, and makes an unbearable situation alot easier to deal with.
Self-harm is a rather broad definition, it encompasses all methods. If you cut yourself, then you are 'a cutter'. Yes, you self-harm, but I find narrowing that down a bit to be a bit easier, especially since different types of self-harm are treated differently.
As for one term being "lighter" than the other, well, you are purposefully and knowingly hurting yourself, it is not meant to be a light topic.
I really hate being labelled by my self harm, and actually I used to do this to myself, like in my mind id call myself a self harmer/'cutter' and really struggled to get out of that mind set... I like to think of self harm as something I do (and am trying to stop) it isnt who I am, I dont want to be defined by it as that seems really trapping.
When I used to think of myself as a cutter, it was like Oh well that IS who I am, no point even trying to stop blah blah blah...
So yeah I dont really like it also on a more general level i prefer the term self harm as its broader and covers more than just cutting and it can be easy for people (essp people who dont SH) from overlooking other forms of harm, so many people think: cutting, razors, blood, scars, when that just isnt it for so many folk who SH.
Last edited by crjs1 : 21-12-2011 at 01:59 PM.
Reason: spelling
well i didnt cut yesterday like i considered but i punched a wall and omg myhand is all swollen and bruised.. is that really any better tho? im not sure.. *shrug*sh is sh no matter what it is i guess.
I dont think ive ever heard a my friends (who know nothing) call anyone a cutter, just say that they cut themself, or that they self harm. Is it that common for people to say that?
He was no longer jean valjean but no. 24601 -les miserable
Some of life's mysteries will never be solved, such as why, after spending an entire evening listenong to Bach, do I find myself humming "the birdie song".......
I am reaching, but i fall, and the stars are black and cold, as i stare into the void of a world that cannot hold- les miserables
I dont think ive ever heard a my friends (who know nothing) call anyone a cutter, just say that they cut themself, or that they self harm. Is it that common for people to say that?
I've only known two people in my life outside of here who have self harmed, they didn't refer to themselves as cutters, although I realise that two isn't many people.
No one I know has ever referred to me as a cutter, apart from once, a Doctor in A&E. Although as I previously mentioned I don't like the phrases cutter/self harmer/self injurer and people around me know that and share my view, so they just say that I self harm.
I hate any term that refers to it other than the one thing I'll admit it is. Which is my method of survival. Its not like its the best term, its just honestly what it is. I'm not a huge fan of this either, because I feel like its still a label which is seperating me from everyone else.
You're better than this. Breathe in. Breathe out. It'll be okay. I promise. Just don't forget to smile :)
The funny thing is,
nobody really ever knows how much
anybody is hurting.
We could be standing next to somebody,
who is completely broken,
and we wouldn't even know.
Actually, my biggest issue with the words 'cutter' and 'cutting' is that my position on my team is also known as cutter and I'm the only one on my team who is generally referred to as a main cutter because the only reason I'm not a handler is because they really need for me to cut because I'm very good at cutting. Also my entire team knows about my past (I don't hide my scars around them) so sometimes I have an awkward second when they say things like 'oh, she's a cutter'!
My opinion is that if you do cut yourself you are a cutter. It is factual English. A word to describe that action. I have no problem being called a cutter.
Self-harm to me applies to methods of self harm that aren't cuts. Again, factual.
I think that we sugarcoat things too often and often find a word difficult because actually other words that could be used for what we do appear nicer and we don't like staring in the face our realities.
Personal opinion I reiterate. We are all allowed them.
GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
I dislike it. Mainly because I grew up hearing this and thinking cutting was the only form of self-injury. I didn't realize I was a SI too until I started researching it. Self-harm, self-injury are terms I like more. I'm not sure why, but maybe it's because I can think of myself as either terms and be ok with who I am. Cutter, self-mutilator just sound like they define me a bit more. Cutter because I associate only one type of harm with this and self-mutilator because I feel it DOES sound like some weird religious practice, not me hurting myself for different reasons. But that's just me ;)
