by Victorious Heart

Created on: October 27, 2009   Last Updated: October 29, 2009

How to cope with your teen's habit of self mutilation (SI)

Discovering that your teen is a cutter can be very frightening and overwhelming to say the least. You may find yourself in a state of shock, blaming yourself and your capabilities as a parent wondering how you are going to cope with your own feelings, as well as helping your teen find healthier ways to deal with his or her inner turmoil. Unfortunately there haven't been very many studies done on teen cutting and because of this statistics are not readily available. It has been estimated though that 1% of the US population (or 2-3 million) struggle with self damaging behavior, self mutilation or self injury (SI) and 1 out of 200 girls (13-19 yrs of age) or one-half of one percent regularly cut themselves.

What is self mutilation and why do people cut?

Self mutilation or self injury (SI) is when someone physically harms him/ herself to the point of drawing blood, permanently scaring their skin to deal with intolerable psychological/ emotional pain. Self mutilation or self injury (SI) is a secretive practice or behavior accompanied by extreme feelings of shame, embarrassment and self loathing. Other self injurious behaviors include burning oneself with cigarettes or with hot elements, taking an overdose, eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, becoming involved in violent or abusive relationships, or any other dangerous or self destructive behavior

Typically teens will self mutilate/ self injure where they can conceal their injuries and scars with an article of clothing (long sleeves) to hide their self destructive behavior from those around them. Teens will try to offer another explanation for their injuries so that they can continue to hide their self injurious behavior.

The act of cutting releases endorphins which give the cutter a temporary high or rush which helps the teen feel alive. This is a coping mechanism that some teens use to take away the emotional pain they are experiencing as physically harming yourself produces a calming effect. Cutting produces a release of intense and intolerable psychological/ emotional pain and a way to express anger and other negative emotions that the teen is struggling with. What your teen is really looking for is a distraction from the intolerable psychological or emotional pain that he or she is feeling inside.

Cutting/ other self injurious behavior gives the teen an illusion of control since their emotions/ inner turmoil is so out of control. Usually the person

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