[Wild Fragaria]

It's a very interesting human behavior to study.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/06/05/self.abuse.study.ap/index.html

Monday, June 5, 2006; Posted: 10:40 a.m. EDT (14:40 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Nearly 1 in 5 students at two Ivy League schools say they have purposely injured themselves by cutting, burning or other methods, a disturbing phenomenon that psychologists say they are hearing about more often.

For some young people, self-abuse is an extreme coping mechanism that seems to help relieve stress; for others it's a way to make deep emotional wounds more visible.

The results of the survey at Cornell and Princeton are similar to other estimates on this frightening behavior. Counselors say it's happening at colleges, high schools and middle schools across the country.

Separate research found more than 400 Web sites devoted to subject, including many that glorify self-injury. Some worry that many sites serve as an online subculture that fuels the behavior -- although whether there has been an increase in the practice or just more awareness is unclear.

Sarah Rodey, 20, a University of Illinois student who started cutting herself at age 16, said some online sites help socially isolated kids feel like they belong. One of her favorites includes graphic photographs that the site warns might be "triggering."

"I saw myself in some of those pictures, in the poems. And because I saw myself there, I wanted to connect to it better" by self-injuring, Rodey said.

The Web sites, recent books and media coverage are pulling back the curtain on the secretive practice and helping researchers better understand why some as young as grade-schoolers do it.

"You're trying to get people to know that you're hurting, and at the same time, it pushes them away" because the behavior is so distressing, said Rodey, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The latest prevalence estimate comes from an analysis of responses from 2,875 randomly selected male and female undergraduates and graduate students at Cornell and Princeton who completed an Internet-based mental health survey.

Seventeen percent said they had purposely injured themselves; among those, 70 percent had done so multiple times. The estimate is comparable to previous reports on U.S. adolescents and young adults, but slightly higher than studies of high school students in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The study appears in this month's issue of Pediatrics, released Monday. Cornell psychologist Janis Whitlock, the study's main author, also led the Web site research, published in April in Developmental Psychology.

Among the Ivy League students who harmed themselves, about half said they'd experienced sexual, emotional or physical abuse that researchers think can trigger self-abuse.

Repeat self-abusers were more likely than non-injurers to be female and to have had eating disorders or suicidal tendencies, although self-injuring is usually not considered a suicide attempt.

Greg Eels, director of counseling and psychological services at Cornell, said the study's findings are not surprising. "We see it frequently and it seems to be an increasing phenomenon."

While Eels said the competitive, stressful college environment may be particularly intense at Ivy League schools, he thinks the results reflect a national problem.

Dr. Daniel Silverman, a study co-author and Princeton's director of health services, said the study has raised consciousness among his staff, who are now encouraged to routinely ask about self-abuse when faced with students "in acute distress."

"Unless we start talking about it and making it more acceptable for people to come forward, it will remain hidden," Silverman said.

Some self-injurers have no diagnosable illness but have not learned effective ways to cope with life stresses, said Victoria White Kress, an associate professor at Youngstown State University in Ohio. She consults with high schools and says demand for her services has risen in recent years.

Psychologists who work with middle and high schools "are overwhelmed with referrals for these kids," said psychologist Richard Lieberman, who coordinates a suicide prevention program for Los Angeles public schools.

He said one school recently reported several fourth-graders with burns on their arms, and another seeking help for "15 hysterical seventh-grade girls in the office and they all have cuts on their arms."

In those situations, Lieberman said there's usually one instigator whose behavior is copied by sympathetic but probably less troubled friends.

Rodey, a college sophomore, said cutting became part of her daily high school routine.

"It was part of waking up, getting dressed, the last look in the mirror and then the cut on the wrist. It got to be where I couldn't have a perfect day without it," Rodey said.

"If I was apprehensive about going to school, or I wasn't feeling great, I did that and I'd get a little rush," she said.

Whitlock is among researchers who believe that "rush" is feel-good hormones called endorphins produced in response to pain. But it is often followed by deep shame and the injuries sometimes require medical treatment.

Vicki Duffy, 37, runs a Morris County, New Jersey, support group and said when she was in her 20s, she had skin graft surgery on her arms after burning herself with cigarettes and a fire-starter. After psychological and drug treatment, she stopped the behavior 10 years ago.

Author of the 2004 book "No More Pain: Breaking the Silence of Self-Injury," Duffy recalled being stopped on the street by a 70-year-old woman who saw her scarred arms and said, "'I used to do that."'

Rodey said she stopped several months ago with the help of S.A.F.E. (Self-Abuse Finally Ends) Alternatives treatment program at a suburban Chicago hospital. Treatment includes behavior therapy and keeping a written log to track what triggers the behavior.

Rodey said she feels "healed" but not cured "because it's something I will struggle with the rest of my life. Whenever I get really stressed out, that's the first thing I think about."

[aldo_14]

I've known a few people who've got depressed (well, one was hospitalized, the other was on a form of anti-depressants but I didn't push him for a specific reason), and although I don't think it caused physical (self) harm, it's scary stuff.  I can kind of understand how it spirals down that way, though, when people feel numb enough to do pretty much anything just to feel something, or get attention.  It's a shame that perhaps human nature is to ignore people, unless they're right in front of you screaming for help.

[Ulala]

I have a friend with scars that will probably be with her the rest of her life from self-abuse (cuts). I'm sorry anyone does it, whether they can help it or not.

[Ferret]

np: Combichirst - Enjoy The Abuse

*runs*

[phreak]

I wish my lawn was emo so it would cut itself.

[Wild Fragaria]

I've known a few people who've got depressed (well, one was hospitalized, the other was on a form of anti-depressants but I didn't push him for a specific reason), and although I don't think it caused physical (self) harm, it's scary stuff.  I can kind of understand how it spirals down that way, though, when people feel numb enough to do pretty much anything just to feel something, or get attention.  It's a shame that perhaps human nature is to ignore people, unless they're right in front of you screaming for help.

It's true, when people are feeling numb, they will do anything to feel again.  I don't sure in the case of depression, people cut themselves to get attention, but I think it's pretty safe to say that they did so to feel relieve.

[aldo_14]

I don't sure in the case of depression, people cut themselves to get attention, but I think it's pretty safe to say that they did so to feel relieve.

Um, actually I'm pretty sure it is a motivation, because it's a way of getting people to actually look and say 'are you ok?'.  Even if the response is a lie ('yes'), that initial question means something, it's just that the person is sort of scared by the attention at the same time as craving it.

[Solatar]

If I feel like hurting myself I just go run around my neighborhood. The more I run, the more it starts hurting (muscles, "tired", etc.)

Of course, instead of scars, the side effect is I get into real good shape which boosts my self esteem anyway...

[Ferret]

If I wanted to hurt myself I'ld just ustilise loud headphones and the majority of my music collection.

[Wild Fragaria]

I don't sure in the case of depression, people cut themselves to get attention, but I think it's pretty safe to say that they did so to feel relieve.

Um, actually I'm pretty sure it is a motivation, because it's a way of getting people to actually look and say 'are you ok?'.  Even if the response is a lie ('yes'), that initial question means something, it's just that the person is sort of scared by the attention at the same time as craving it.

I think motivation comes later and it's easily turned into addiction.  At moment when things hurt, people actually feel good.  It's sort of like having drugs or alcohol.

[Flipside]

I think it's a life-affirmation thing, feeling pain proves that you are alive.

[aldo_14]

I personally think it's all of them.  It's just a question of which is the initial spark, and which drives it into addiction.

[achtung]

Look at it this way.

Most parents have been avoiding physical punishment for their children.  Which I believe is basically needed for proper discipline (exceptions do exist).  So in turn, the children are doing this in order to give themselves self-discipline.  They're just doing it in an extreme manner.

Quick thought on the subject.

[aldo_14]

Look at it this way.

Most parents have been avoiding physical punishment for their children.  Which I believe is basically needed for proper discipline (exceptions do exist).  So in turn, the children are doing this in order to give themselves self-discipline.  They're just doing it in an extreme manner.

Quick thought on the subject.

Um, how about no?  If anything, physical discipline - violence when done to an adult - only gives the impression that love is coupled with physical attack.

[achtung]

Good point.  Although you're acting as if I meant someone abusing a child or adult.  I'm speaking of small things, like spankings and the like (mainly in childhood).

I've never been in a self-abuse situation, so I can't really speak of it.  It would be nice to hear an account directly from someone who does it.

[aldo_14]

Good point.  Although you're acting as if I meant someone abusing a child or adult.  I'm speaking of small things, like spankings and the like (mainly in childhood).

I've never been in a self-abuse situation, so I can't really speak of it.  It would be nice to hear an account directly from someone who does it.

No, that's not atall what I mean.  One of the fundamental arguements against physical punishment - which does often equate to violence (slapping the kid, etc; if done softly, it isn't a punshment......)- is that in a developing kids mind, it leads to the impression that a) love is equated with violence (i.e. being hurt by parent) and b) violence is a suitable punishment (i.e. that anything can be solved through hurting someone).  Oh, and of course the side arguement that it's divisive for the parent-child relationship and just breeds resentment.

[Nuclear1]

I wish my lawn was emo so it would cut itself.

Bash.org = win.

[Mars]

I used to do that... it's amazing how addictive pain can be.

[Nuke]

i got a few rather deep short cuts in strategic places along my circulatory system, over big fat veins and such.. had my blade not been not so pitifully dull id have had a gusher or two. of course if you want to die the best thing to do is use a short double eged blade and jam it into your corrodid artery. youl be dead in an easy 3 seconds. surely beats slowly making an incesion down to the veins in your wrists. the desire for death in such a case is certainly more so than the desire of attention. i kept my cuts small and deep so as to avoid attention. it has occured to me over the years than unless your rich, psyciatric care is worthless, full of misdiagnoses, multipurpose drugs (that do nothing), and a total lack of intelegent therapy. thus such attention is very undesirable. i dont like people very much and the last thing i want is them questioning me if im alright. what they should be asking is if the human race is alright. i am only but a slightly cracked nut in a vast machine, there are other cracked parts as well, and when there are enough, and the machine is pushed to hard, it will fail. so i think people destroying themselves is just a sign that the machine is running to hard. mankind just needs to slow down.

[IceFire]

Ok it gets me that people blame websites and all sorts of media related influences when the problems are OBVIOUSLY deeper.  They are at a societal/family/stress related pressure level which is too complicated or too difficult for people to deal with so they just ignore it and deal with something they can actually target, legislate or otherwise wish away.  Its cowardice.

These folks need support, help, attention, and the break out of the pressure filled lifestyle that they have often been planted into.  I've had my moments...I haven't had to resort to this but I understand why some people need to take the next step.  They feel like they are getting kicked in the teeth by life so why not actually feel that sort of pain so its worth something.  Yeah I do think I understand and I think often the problems are external...pressured into rediculous things at rediculous standards that not everyone can cope with all at once. Give it a year...take a year off...chill out...figure out life...contemplate things...slow down.  See where you're at and whats around you.

I really think thats what most of these people need.  Its what family and friends and those around them can do that no psychologist can.