Cutting is self-injury that occurs when a person cuts or scratches some part of the body with a sharp object. Cuts on arms can be confusing, terrifying, and downright frustrating for parents who find their teens self-harming themselves.
According to the expert’s analysis, these self-harming cuts are generally done by teens 14-18 years old. People who attempt to cut their arms might be trying to cope with frustration, anger, or emotional turmoil, but self-harming can never be a solution and doesn’t provide relief.
Cuts on arms are a form of common cuts, which can be healed easily, but in many cases, it may lead to a serious infection or injury to your whole arm.
Finding any cut on your child’s body can be an alarming sign for the parents. It’s important to pay attention to your child’s behavior, habits, and any weird changes in his behavior.
Some reasons of self-harming
It’s never easy to tell when a person is suffering from a mental or emotional breakdown.
Generally, anger, frustration, guilt, or depression can make a person harm himself.
Some of the most common reasons self-harm are:
Problem in understanding and expressing emotions
This is a common situation where a person might be going through a mental breakdown but cannot acknowledge it or might not know how to express their feelings and emotions to the other person.
Trauma
Trauma is an emotional response to any terrible incident or unbearable pain. it may hit a person at any stage of their life.
Many children and even adults suffer from some type of childhood trauma.
Psychological pain
Psychological pain is the unpleasant feeling that originates due to psychological events.
It’s also called Chronic psychogenic pain. Few symptoms of psychological pain can be a headache, muscle ache, abdomen pain, etc.
Pressure
With the fast-paced lifestyle, everybody is running in a rat race to be the best.
One never knows when this desperation can create pressure and lead to stress and anxiety.
Loneliness
Technology is bringing people closer, but at the same time, it’s taking them farther. People are becoming more confined in their lives.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report states that more than one-third of people suffer from loneliness.
Anger
Anger is the biggest enemy of a person. We have heard this quote multiple times.
But when it comes to controlling the anger at the moment, it becomes extremely difficult.
This feeling of anger may lead to a person self-harming.
Social circle
Sometimes, having friends who have attempted suicidal activities may affect the mental health of the other person and give them the idea of doing the same.
Mental health disorders
depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also lead to suicidal activities.
Drug or alcohol consumption
Over consumption of drugs and alcohol can affect the mental and physical health of the person and may lead to suicidal thoughts.
Depression
As we all know, depression is a silent killer. One may never know when depression can hit them.
According to the scientist’s research: cuts on the wrist provide a sense of control to the people who self-harm. The injury releases endorphins into the bloodstream, which provides a temporary boost of mood.
It’s important to notice the person’s activities from time to time to figure out when they’re suffering from a situation and are at the edge of self-harm.
Read more- Bulimia Nervosa: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis And More
Complications of self-injury
- Increased feeling of guilt and shame
- Addiction to self-harming
- Skin infections
- Permanent scars
- Fatal injury
- Risk of death
Fight those self-harming thoughts
Try any of the below-mentioned ways to fight that thought of harming yourself. After all, there’s more to life than what you’ve seen till now.
Distract yourself
Distracting yourself from a negative thought is the best thing one can do. Here are some options of self distractions to follow:
- Talk to someone
- Share your problem
- Watch movies or TV
- Take a cup of tea
- Engage yourself in any work
- Exercises
- Read the newspaper or any article
Practice self-care
In order to overcome any type of psychological pain, trauma, or mental breakdown, it’s important to practice self-care. Some self-care tips are:
- Take a long bath
- Listen to music
- Cook your favorite meal
- Draw or Paint
- Plan work in advance
- Use essential oil to sleep well
- Read a good book daily
Relieve stress
In today’s world, every person is suffering from stress. But stressing won’t solve any problem. Try to include some stress-relieving activities in your daily routine.
- Practice yoga
- Take long, deep breaths
- Meditate
- Go for a brisk walk
Release anger
Controlling anger can be the most difficult thing to do, but it’s not impossible. Below are some activities you can follow to release or control your anger:
- Dance
- Pop balloons
- Go for running
- Engage yourself with some workout
- Scribe on paper
- Hit a cushion
Express feelings
It’s okay to be vulnerable on some days, accept your feeling of grief, guilt, or any kind of disappointment, and try to move on with life. The best way to accept those feeling is by expressing them.
- Write a diary
- Talk to family or friends
- Listen to podcasts
Connect with others
To overcome loneliness, it’s important to connect with others. Whether you’re an extrovert or introvert, everybody needs a good friend.
- Keep a pet
- Engage in social events and parties
- Meet people that inspire you
- Participate in non-profitable or charitable activities
Replace the sensation
Sometimes, mental pain can lead to physical sensations and make the situation worse. In such cases, try below mentioned simple tips to relieve yourself a bit.
- Rub an ice cube on the skin
- Take a cold shower
- Clap harder
- Stomp The feet
Read more- Common Types Of Sleep Disorders – Check May You Are Dealing With Some Of Them
Help a person who’s going through this difficult stage
It’s difficult to find out when a person is at the edge of giving up, but it’s important to watch out for your loved ones once in a while. We never know when a person is going through a hard time. It’s important to be kind to others.
Cuts on the arms or wrist can be initial signs of greater suffering. It’s important to be there for a person when he needs you the most.
These are some steps that might help you to suspect the problem:
Ask them directly
Ask. If you notice any types of cuts either on arms, wrist, or anywhere around the whole body of a person, ask them about that injury.
Ask them not to judge or punish the person but to find a solution to their suffering.
Acknowledge the pain of the person
Judgment or punishment can increase mental stress, which can even lead to suicidal thoughts. It’s important to control your emotions at that point in time and acknowledge the pain of the other person.
Keep eyes on their activities
If you find any cuts on the wrist or any other alarming signs, it’s important to keep an eye on the activities of the person until he recovers from this mental breakdown.
In case there’s no improvement, consult a psychologist and arrange counseling sessions for the person.
Try to change the person’s bad self-harming behaviour
Some people have the habit of self-harming. It is very important to make them understand the importance of changing this behavior. You can call a therapist or a pediatrician to help the person.
Tell them about the consequences of self-harming, like: how can it affect them physically, mentally, or socially? How can it affect their loved ones’ lives?
Be patient with the person
Things are easier said than done. It takes time for people to acknowledge their pain, accept it and move in. So, be patient and let the person take time to recover.
Read more- Chlamydia: How To Get Rid of Chlamydia, Symptoms, Causes, And More
Seek emergency help
In case you catch a person performing any type of self-harm activity, then you can use the following steps to save the life of the person:
- Call on local emergency number 911
- Stay with the person until the experts arrive
- Remove guns, knives, medicines or other things which can cause harm
- Do not judge or punish the injured person
- Listen to the injured person
In case the situation is not severe, you may also contact the below organizations and reach out for help:
- National suicide prevention lifeline at 800-273-8255
- S.A.F.E. Alternatives (self-abuse finally ends)
- National Alliance on mental illness (NAMI) helpline- 800-950-NAMI, info@nami.org or text “NAMI” to 741741.
- Self-injury outreach and support
Final words
With lives getting busier, it’s equally important to watch over your loved ones. We never know when a person might need help.
If you’re a person going through any mental or emotional breakdown, reach out to your loved ones for help. It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes, but don’t let that fleeting thought of disappointment, anger, or guilt take away your life.
Attempting any self-harm or suicidal activity like cuts on arms or hurting yourself with any other object will never solve your problem. Instead, it will increase the problems for you and your loved ones.
After all, Running from the problem is never the solution.
