When a person cuts. How to make cuts on your hand without pain - cutting yourself to drive away the pain

Question to a psychologist

Hello. For the past 3 years I have been worried about one problem - I cut myself endlessly. And it seems to be nothing, but appetites began to increase sharply, and I don’t know what to do ... And it all started with one case. I fainted on the street, my blood pressure sometimes jumps. It's March, I remember that it's cold... And imagine, no one came up and called for help, no one except him. For some reason, this guy dragged me to his house, gave me tea and let me go, having previously laughed at what had happened. He reacted with a share of humor, however, I was not laughing. After that I met his friends. And I began to notice that they always roam the streets and all arrange some sort of showdown, fight ... either drunk or serious. I asked what is it and how is it possible? They smile and are silent. And my rescuer said only one thing - do not worry, if necessary - we will protect! I turned a blind eye to this, in the end, when I needed help, these people did not help, only he helped out - which means that everything should be as it should be. I began to cook, wash, clean the house for them. Gradually, the relationship with my friend began to move to a new level. And that was a life-changing moment. He said: "I will show you all the beauty and joy of this existence, the true meaning of life!" And he showed me by cutting my leg. I remember all the panic and horror, how my heart was pounding, insane fear and blood, a lot of blood ... But next to me was a man who comforted, kissed and saved at one time. So we fell asleep together ... Moreover, intimate relationships between us never it was - he could kiss, hug, at the same time, be sure to cut me, and that's it! He is already satisfied ... I endured the pain, soon got used to it, and then his requests began to grow sharply. But he was so happy! Scars began to remain on my body - they simply did not have time to heal. I began to feel that he did not control himself and could not stop, then I realized that a little more - and the question would affect life. I can’t say what would have happened next, but chance intervened - it was necessary to leave the city, and since things were settled there, it was forever. He let me go. And when I arrived at home, I suddenly realized that I was missing something. What? Of course, blood! She began to cut herself, already without his help, so to speak, and got a taste! I always believed that people eke out their miserable existence and come into this world to suffer, but now ... now ... There is pain, there is blood, there is meaning, which means life is BEAUTIFUL! I live. This state of euphoria lasts for about a day, then a week of dejection, attempts to understand what I'm doing here and - history repeats itself. However, even this joy did not last long, firstly, like him, I began to lose control (but he didn’t cut himself, but I do!), secondly, my parents noticed the scars and began lectures on how thirdly, because of the constant loss of blood, I began to feel weakness and lethargy - I have to lean on sweets very often. But I can't stop! Once she suffered for a whole month - she walked like a zombie, angry at the whole world, and then she cut herself more than usual. And the feeling of satisfaction is fading away! This is a real nightmare, to be honest, because in principle, getting rid of the habit is not the most important thing for me, how can I return the old feelings? And what did he teach me? Is it possible to find a compromise with such dependence, should there be a golden mean when everyone is happy - both the public, and relatives, and me? Thanks in advance!

Hello Marina!

It is unfortunate that your savior turned out to be a SADIST. He is sick and he "hooked" you on the same thing, to hurt yourself. You have an addiction and you need to see a specialist in person. You need to understand what kind of feeling you experience when you hurt yourself? Why are you doing this? And what do you get from it? Your body is all scarred, and you wondered who will love you and how will you explain to your boyfriend what it is? Contact in person. Sincerely, Olesya.

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Marina, the most important thing now that you need to understand and admit is that you DO NOT WANT to get rid of this addiction and therefore it is absolutely useless to work with you, you look like a drug addict who goes to a narcologist in order to reduce the dose sufficient for enjoyment, because any drug addict knows that the higher the dose, the higher the risk of saying goodbye to life. You write about the same. Just understand, no matter what the dose is, you are still on the needle and you are not free, you are dependent. Do you know what the danger of addiction is - that outwardly it makes your life better, but in fact it impoverishes it, devours it and destroys it from the inside, because you don’t need anything else except your specific pleasure and you will never know how it's just to enjoy the fact that you live. And this will continue until you make the decision to break free from your addiction and learn to enjoy life in many other ways. But for this you need to make a decision that will allow you to save your life. The fact that you got into such an addiction is not your fault, you did not know what such games could lead to, but these games were full of emotions and captured and it keeps you there until now. You did not know all this, now you know it and you know where it can lead you. And now your life depends only on your decision.

Good luck, love and all the best! Denisova Olga

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This happens frequently. A teenager cuts his hands with a blade, cauterizes his body, stabs, inflicts deep scratches on himself. Sometimes the desire to hurt yourself turns into an obsession. Why are they doing this? And what does this have to do with adolescence?

One in ten teens in the United States deliberately harms their bodies. Scientists analyzed the national trauma database of more than 286,000 adolescents aged 10-18 years. Adolescents who inflicted cutting or stabbing injuries applied for emergency help. And most of the time it was girls. Boys sometimes even used firearms. Falling from a height, self-suffocation and poisoning also attract young people, but less often.

Most self-harm is not related to suicide. But any injury is a cause for parental concern, because adolescents who do this are more likely to make real suicide attempts.

Psychologists have tried to figure out why teenagers cut themselves, where does this need to hurt themselves come from. Many say that it helps them to release the accumulated emotional tension and experience relief. Others say teenagers cut their hands because the pain makes them feel alive.

Usually teenagers hurt themselves, but they don't want anyone to see it, especially parents. Therefore, they cut, stab and cauterize those parts of the body that are easy to hide under clothing - thighs, forearms, chest. There are far fewer of those who do it defiantly in order to attract attention to themselves.

Precisely because cuts and injuries go unnoticed, the psychological state of a teenager also does not fall into the sphere of attention of parents, and few children receive the necessary help.

Only 5% of those who injure themselves have a psychiatric diagnosis. Self-harm can be triggered by depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and bipolar disorder. The remaining cases, when teenagers cut their hands and inflict other injuries, concern healthy children in a state of mental confusion and loneliness.

Breaking the habit of hurting yourself is not easy.

Many patients find it difficult to stop self-harming because it is the only way for them to vent their inner pain.

Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the condition of a teenager in time. How long have you been talking to him? Didn't he slip in his speech "I want to cut my hand"? Was there something like “I want to cut myself” in the history of his Internet requests? You may have heard and seen this, but mistook it for a bungled attempt to draw attention to yourself.

Don't ignore these signals. Try to understand the cause of the teenager's condition and try to help him find another way to express the pain. Otherwise, accumulating, it can lead to more serious consequences: psychological trauma and even suicide.

According to psychologies.ru

Everyone deals with feelings differently. Some may open up and talk to loved ones about their feelings. Others need to be distracted - read, watch a movie or just take a walk. These are healthy ways to deal with negativity. But for some, the only way to deal with emotions is to hurt themselves.

Self-harm is the deliberate self-harm and pain caused by the need to cope with strong emotions (such as anger, anxiety, or sadness). At the same time, self-harm rarely helps to feel better - all because of the guilt and shame that appear immediately after inflicting damage.

Signs and symptoms of selfharm

Usually, self-harm makes a person very secretive: he hides marks and scars so that they are difficult to detect. Most often, self-harm is an impulsive act, but sometimes methodical planning also leads to it. It most commonly occurs in people who have to cope with depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder.

The most common signs that a person may be a victim of self-harm are: - Cut or burn scars that the person cannot explain

hair pulling

Pinch marks on the skin

Bruises and abrasions

fractures

bite marks

Explanation of constant bruising and cuts by clumsiness

Out-of-season clothing such as long-sleeved trousers and shirts during the summer

Low self-esteem

Difficulty expressing and dealing with emotions

Causes of self-prevention

There are various reasons why people harm themselves, but most often it acts as a strategy for coping with strong emotions. This gives temporary relief and reduces anxiety, but this relief does not last long. Some people feel "numb" and try to regain some sensitivity in this way. Self-harm often acts as a punishment for far-fetched shortcomings or out of self-hatred.

Certain factors increase the risk of self-harm. For example, close family self-harm, childhood abuse (especially sexual abuse), stressful or traumatic life events, alcohol or drug abuse, impulsiveness, poor coping skills, and being self-critical. Self-harm is also directly linked to depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder. Although self-harm is not usually associated with suicide, victims of self-harm are more likely to be suicidal due to association with other emotional issues. Self-harm and related disorders are treatable, so if you or someone close to you is experiencing this, it's important to start looking for a solution as soon as possible.

How to deal with the urge to hurt yourself

We often hear about self-harm in the form of cuts in movies and TV shows, but this is not the only type of self-harm. It can manifest itself in the form of intentional burns or self-inflicted blows. This may seem like the only activity that will help you feel better.

Fortunately, there are much healthier ways to cope. If you or someone you know has experienced self-harm, you should refer to this list to find a more effective way to deal with emotional problems. - Consultation with a psychotherapist. The best way to learn how to deal with emotions is to get the help of a professional. Therapy helps fight self-destructive behavior, process and express emotions, and feel better. Many times people who suffer from self-harm deal with depression or an anxiety disorder. If you seek help, be honest with your therapist, attend all appointments, and stick to your treatment plan.

Explore the causes of self-harm. By learning why you are hurting yourself and what purpose you are pursuing with these actions, you will be able to combat this behavior. Think about why you started hurting yourself. What makes you want to hurt yourself? How do you feel right before you deal damage? Is it always the same emotion? What do you do before you hurt yourself? This is important information for communicating with a therapist or mental health professional. Keeping a journal will help you answer these questions and be a positive way to deal with your emotions.

Choose "healthy" behaviors. Often, if people manage to delay self-harm, the urge to harm themselves goes away. Choose healthy activities that you enjoy and that make you feel better. It can be physical exercises, communication with loved ones, walks or a favorite hobby. When you feel the urge to harm yourself, immediately turn to one of the healthy alternatives.

Assemble the "comfort box". Put in it a list of things to do to help you deal with your emotions, a favorite movie, some good books, art supplies, and your diary. Whenever you feel the urge to self-harm, open the box and choose a useful option.

Avoid anything that "inspires" you to self-harm. This may mean turning down some sites or stopping contact with people who "glorify" the idea of ​​self-harm.

The message What is selfharm or why do people cut themselves appeared first on Smart.

Cuts, scratches, abrasions. Just because the cuts are superficial doesn't mean the pain isn't deep. However, the pain that you experience also plays a positive role: it reminds you that a cut, scratch, abrasion must be dealt with immediately. Experts suggest how to get rid of the pain of cuts.

Compression not only stops bleeding, but also helps relieve pain. We suggest that for 5 or 10 minutes, press hard on the skin directly above the cut. Apply antibiotic ointment to a cut, scrape, or abrasion, then cover with a band-aid or bandage. Your friend is aloe. Aloe helps not only with burns, but with cuts, scratches and abrasions.

In most cases, this is the wrong conclusion. Among other things, cuts serve as a means of communication when a person cannot express how much it hurts. According to those who cut their hands and cause other harm, this action brings pain relief and calmness.

Psychological: Women who cut and burn themselves include many who were abused and traumatized as children, often sexually. Sometimes "punishment" follows intemperance in eating, cuts are associated with eating disorders. In this case, cuts may just be part of the manipulation with which a person tries to bind loved ones to himself and attract attention.

An attempt to stop cuts without understanding the roots of the problem is doomed to failure. Wear a rubber band around your arm that you can twist instead of cutting yourself. Self-harm is an effective mechanism for coping with mental pain and emotional difficulties, developed and internalized by this person.

Their ages are 13, 15, 17… and they cut their skin with a razor or burn it with a cigarette. And they explain: in this way, teenagers report their acute experiences and ask for help. I am 14 years old. When scandals at school become unbearable, I take a penknife and try to hurt myself as much as possible.

Everything is fine with me?" Our site also receives such disturbing letters from teenagers. There are also letters from parents: “My daughter is 15 years old. I recently noticed burn marks on her arm. It is not possible to talk about it, she takes every word of mine with hostility and refuses to meet with a psychologist.

Hurt yourself is one way to get in touch with him. The behavior of teenagers resembles the gesture of a person who has a terrible dream: he wants to stop him, pinch himself and wake up. At 37, Tatyana clearly remembers those years when she cut her thighs: “I grew up in a family where it was forbidden to complain - my parents did not understand this.

The paradox of the moment is that teenagers, damaging their bodies, experience ... Controlling their bodies in such a wild (from the point of view of adults) way, they feel that they control their own lives. And it reconciles them with reality.” He likes to plan everything and order everything, and sometimes he succeeds. And at the same time, you can hardly count on the sympathy of loved ones: the injury is trifling. And rightly so, experts say, because any wound, even the smallest one, is an open gate for infections caused by bacteria.

Aloe stops bleeding, relieves pain and speeds up healing. If you don’t have glue on hand or you are afraid to use it, grease the paper cut with Vaseline. Hands off! As soon as a crust has formed on the wound, leave it alone. Firstly, tearing off the crust is a painful process, and secondly: the crust protects the wound. The crust is a natural bandage. 8. Posted by Olya, at 10:11 on 11/18/2012 horror...

Why teenagers hurt themselves

10. Posted by Tatyana at 05:25 on 06/19/2012 what to do? And I use it for abrasions, and for burns. 15. Posted by Olga, at 19:27 09/25/2011 She waved her hand in front of a closed garden with a cat and immediately caught a claw with her finger. 17. Posted by Chel, at 02:04 05.08.2010 Damn, today I was swimming in the river with friends and cut my leg with a bottle.

My life in psychology, psychotherapy, trainings began with work with teenagers. At some point, steep hills rolled Sivka and I switched to an adult, calmer contingent. And children enter adolescence earlier and their problems are not less, but more, because our world is changing faster and faster.

Treating cuts at home

It's a pity for them terribly - in the end, we all had a chance to go through this hell, called youth. Over the past two months, three mothers have contacted me at once, frightened by cuts on the hands of their children, so I decided to write more about this. The bitter truth is that usually people hide the traces of self-harm and do not at all try to manipulate loved ones in this way.

This is a symptom of serious mental problems that must be dealt with. This fact, along with the fact that the cuts are usually harmless, suggests that this is manipulation to gain attention. In addition or in addition to this, self-harm serves to "wake up" and reconnect with reality.

The girl is trying to lose weight, once again raids the refrigerator and "revenges" herself by cutting her hand. Or he tries to keep himself from an attack of gluttony with the pain of a cut. Cuts serve as a kind of language for them, with which they try to speak out, express their pain, enter into a dialogue with people who are significant to them.

Self-harm: why people cut, stab, mutilate themselves

They cut their skin with fear. They take a penknife and cut various signs on their hands. Putting out cigarettes. They scratch themselves with a ballpoint pen until they bleed. They pull out their hair. Open wounds, preventing them from healing. They break bones. They drive nails into their bodies. They squeeze their hands with tourniquets. They deliberately inflict hellish physical pain on themselves so that they no longer experience mental suffering.
This phenomenon is often hushed up. It is not customary to talk about the fact that a loved one is prone to self-harm. They try to hide the fact of self-mutilation by all means. Most of the inhabitants perceive conscious self-harm as recklessness, an obsession, a flaw in education, a cheap way to attract attention. However, the problem of intentional self-mutilation by a person exists. And this issue is much more complex and larger than the efforts currently expended by society to resolve it.

What is meant by the term "self-harm", which is often referred to as the English equivalent of "self-harm"? This is the intentional and deliberate infliction by the subject of various bodily harm to himself. Such damage, as a rule, is always noticeable to others. An individual inflicts self-damage, guided by some internal reasons, seeking to achieve some state or goal. In this case, the person has no obvious suicidal intentions. That is why he never crosses the line, which can lead to death. However, in some situations, due to non-observance of safety boundaries through ignorance or negligence, self-harm causes premature death.
Cases of self-mutilation are recorded in people of different ages, with different social status, level of education, financial situation. According to sociologists, more than 1% of the human population has a tendency to self-mutilate. Most often, single or repeated episodes of self-harm are determined in adolescents. Most of these teenagers are orphans, are brought up in boarding schools or stay in children's correctional colonies.

In the adolescent category, the frequency of performing harmful acts is striking. More than 10% of adolescents who periodically practice such activities harm their bodies more than once a week. For 20% of teenagers who have a problem with self-harm, such a process occurs with a frequency of once a month. At the same time, out of the entire problematic adolescent group, a few children surveyed indicate that some significant event served as the reason for performing self-harm. The vast majority of adolescents cannot explain what motives push them to torture their own bodies.
Young women are also prone to self-injury. Cases of self-mutilation are no less common among prisoners serving sentences in correctional facilities. Attempts to inflict physical harm on themselves are often made by prisoners of war, combatants, and war veterans.

Selfharm: severity and types of self-harm
All options and methods of self-harm can be divided into three categories according to the severity of the injuries and the mental status of the person at the time of performing such actions.

Group 1. Severe injuries
Serious and dangerous cases of self-harm are recorded relatively rarely. Such extremely painful acts include: exenteration - removal of the eyeball along with all its contents, cutting off part or all of the penis, castration - removal of the testicles, amputation of fingers or an entire limb.
Such manipulations almost always indicate the presence of severe mental disorders in a person, for example: an acute psychotic episode, schizophrenia, delirious mania. Very often, self-harm in schizophrenia is performed under the influence of imperative hallucinations, when the patient hears "voices" ordering him to harm the body. Severe injuries can be produced in a state of acute alcohol intoxication or drug intoxication.

Another cause of serious episodes of self-harm is transsexualism. The desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex can push a man to cut off his penis.
Explanations for such actions may be of a fanatical religious nature. For example, a person full of fanaticism, being blindly following the biblical laws, cuts off his own hand, punishing himself as a sinner. Or he, like a great Christian, castrates himself for the glory of the Lord. Acts of self-harm can be a process of performing rituals. For example, the ritual action of Moroccan traditional healers is to put oneself into a state of trance and inflict deep cuts on the head.

Group 2. Stereotypical actions
Some persons perform monotonous patterned actions over a certain time interval. A common type of stereotypic act is the methodical and rhythmic banging of the head against the wall. Another form is inflicting a series of bites on oneself. At the same time, it is not possible to establish and explain the purpose of stereotypical actions.
According to scientists, the performance of repetitive motor acts indicates autism. Patients have a wide variety of repetitive behaviors. One of the leading manifestations of the disorder are stereotypes - various meaningless movements, such as: chaotic waving of the arms, shaking and tilting the head, rocking the torso back and forth. For 30% of patients with autism, auto-aggression is characteristic - an activity that can cause injury to the person himself. For example, he may regularly perform a series of bites on his own body.

Also, stereotypical behavior may be associated with moderate or severe oligophrenia. Some patients with a deep degree of mental retardation (idiocy) periodically show aggression and auto-aggression. They can suddenly strike and bite both others and themselves. They occasionally scratch their skin.
Stereotypical movements may be symptoms of Tourette's syndrome. The need to shrug and scratch the itchy skin are prodromal signs that indicate the onset of an episode of a series of nervous tics.

Group 3. Domestic self-harm
The most common variant of auto-aggressive actions can be conditionally called "domestic self-harm". In this case, a person inflicts superficial injuries of mild or moderate severity on himself. At the same time, he does not pursue the goal of committing suicide and controls the process of inflicting wounds on himself. Domestic self-harm can be done once, episodically, or be in the nature of regularly repeated actions.
Some types of domestic self-harm are considered within the framework of compulsions - obsessive uncontrollable actions. Compulsive processes are hair pulling on the head, nail biting and picking of the nail plates, intensive combing of the skin. Periodically performed, repeated cutting of the skin, cutting out various symbolic signs, cauterizing the body with a variety of hot or burning objects, traumatizing the skin with needles, preventing wound healing may indicate borderline mental disorders.
Episodic cases of self-mutilation are observed in post-traumatic syndrome. A single episode of self-harm can occur when a person is in an extreme situation or under intense stress. Self-mutilation can be caused by severe depression.

Why people mutilate themselves: causes of self-harm
The causes and provocateurs of acts of self-harm are described in great variety. Along with plausible versions, there are many false hypotheses, myths and delusions.

Reason 1. Injure yourself - "dosed" harm, and not an attempt to commit suicide
One such implausible explanation is the belief of some laymen that a case of self-mutilation is an attempt by a person to commit suicide. However, this view is not at all true.
Numerous studies have shown that a person who decides to commit a true act of suicide is 100% convinced of the meaninglessness of his existence on earth. She is guided by the conviction of the need to end her mortal life. The future suicide most often carries out preparatory measures, so he chooses such methods of suicide that will guarantee him a lethal outcome.

At the same time, a person who inflicts domestic self-harm, as it were, “doses out” the degree of injury. His goal is to injure himself and feel physical pain for the sake of gaining some kind of fortune or other benefits. However, his plans do not include the deliberate interruption of his own life.

Reason 2. Ugliness of oneself as a way to attract attention
Another belief that is not entirely true is the opinion that by inflicting injuries on oneself, a person tries to attract the attention of others. Indeed, some persons cut their skin, guided by the desire that this fact be noticed by some other person.
For example, a girl cuts hearts on her hand, hoping that her feelings will be noticed by a young man of interest to her. In such a situation, she will definitely try to get the carved sign into the field of view of this guy. Thus, the young lady shows that she lacks his attention. She needs his presence. She yearns for love. That is, she tries to satisfy a certain need, and for some reason she cannot report on the need to fulfill her desire. Or the guy, because of his own considerations, refuses to satisfy the needs of the girl. At the same time, such variants of self-mutilation are easy to detect by their pretense and demonstrativeness.

However, in most cases, self-harm is not at all intended to draw attention to oneself. To be noticed and appreciated, people most often resort to other actions. For example, a girl, in order to interest a guy, will try to look attractive and extraordinary. She will wear bright clothes and will do catchy makeup. She may start talking loudly, accompanying her statements with lively facial expressions and expressive gestures. She can become polite, delicate, helpful. But she is unlikely to put out cigarettes on her skin when her object of interest is not nearby.
Psychologists assure that most people strive by all means to disguise the traces of their actions. Most often, they cause injury in places that are not visible to others. If they hurt their hands, they will wear long sleeves. If it is not possible to hide deep scratches under clothing, then they will assure that they were scratched by a cat. If it is not possible to hide the bite marks, then they will say that they were attacked by a dog. That is, since deliberate self-mutilation causes a sense of shame in a sane person, he will seek to hide such a sin.
Reason 3. Torturing your body - a method of manipulation or a cry for help

Some people actually inflict physical suffering on themselves in an attempt to get something from others. Injuring themselves, they try to change their minds and influence the behavior of their inner circle. However, self-harm cannot be called manipulation in its purest form. Since it will be a completely strange phenomenon when a teenager cuts his hands, trying to get from his parents, for example, a new mobile phone.
In most cases, the act of self-mutilation is focused on obtaining moral support and spiritual help from loved ones. By performing such an action, a person wants to say that he has some kind of serious problem that he himself is not able to solve.

Reason 5. Self-harm is a sign that signals a spiritual emptiness
In some situations, self-mutilation is caused by a feeling of inner emptiness, a feeling of loss, oppressive loneliness. Such a person does not live fully. He does not experience the joys of everyday life. His existence is gray, monotonous, faceless.
For such a person, intentionally inflicting physical pain on oneself is an act intended to make one feel that one is still alive. Such a subject cuts and mutilates himself in order to obtain evidence that he exists. Self-harm is a way to return to reality. The passage of physical pain brings such a subject back to reality. He begins to feel himself and notice the world around him.

Reason 6. Self-harm is a way to avoid tragedy
Such a person is driven by conviction: if he hurts himself physically, he will avoid what he is afraid of. Such an individual is sure that a threat looms over his head. He senses an approaching misfortune. He believes that some tragedy must happen to him in the future. The thinking of such a subject is absorbed by fears and anxiety. Moreover, most often he cannot explain what exactly he is afraid of. His fears are pointless and global.
However, he is convinced that evil fate will bypass him if he suffers physically. Self-mutilation is a ritual act meant to ward off potential drama. Being engaged in systematic and regular self-harm, he, as it were, postpones the moment of the onset of a catastrophe.

Reason 7. Auto-aggression is a way to punish yourself
Often the act of self-mutilation acts as a method of punishing oneself. Such an individual suffers greatly from the fact that he has committed a real or imaginary negative act. He is tormented by remorse that he offended someone and caused pain. The subject blames himself for being a bad parent, neglectful spouse, ungrateful child. He labels himself as a failure. He considers himself an insignificant being.
To reduce the intensity of suffering, he decides to punish himself. And he does it in a very strange way. In his understanding, punishment must necessarily involve physical pain. Therefore, he hits himself, arranges all kinds of torture, hoping to pay off his conscience for his mistakes. He feels that the act of self-mutilation brings some relief and reduces guilt.

How do scientists explain the need to self-mutilate? From a physiological point of view, the mechanism for obtaining relief from self-harm can be explained by the peculiarity of the functioning of the body.
At the time of the onset of pain in the body, the work of the antinociceptive system is activated. Excessive synthesis of endorphins is observed in response to stress, which is pain. The production of internal opiates is a protective reaction of the body, the purpose of which is to provide a physiologically natural way out of stress, that is, without disrupting adaptive capabilities.

By increasing the production of endogenous opiates - endorphin and enkephalin - in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the intensity of the pain syndrome decreases. These substances have a strong analgesic and anti-shock effect. A huge amount of endorphins is released during any physical injury, for example: electric shock, cold stress. It has been established that the synthesis of endorphins is activated in the human body when it participates in combat operations or sports competitions. Due to the accelerated and increased production of these substances, the subject can, to a certain extent, ignore pain and is able to mobilize the resources of the body.
In addition, endogenous opiates give a person a biochemical "reward" - they cause a state of euphoria. The subject captures such high spirits, bordering on bliss. Therefore, over time, he forms a connection: inflicting pain on himself and the subsequent euphoria.

What to do when you want to torture yourself: methods of resistance
Of course, a person who has a self-harm problem is free to decide for himself. Continue to torture yourself further: pull out hair, scratch, cut, bite. Or put an end to your physical suffering and learn to resolve the difficulties that have arisen wisely and harmlessly. This is his choice - to continue to suffer or start learning to build harmonious relationships with society. Any person has the right to choose: to be a victim and live in torment, or to show courage and engage in the development of their own personality to achieve complete harmony in the inner world.
However, the subject, who regularly destroys his body, most often cannot make the right choice. Because he has such a problem that led him to a dead end. His soul is torn apart by inconsistencies and conflicts. He does not understand his place on earth. He is confused in his life and does not know in which direction he needs to move. He does not know how to express his feelings in a constructive way and does not know any other ways to neutralize emotions, except for self-mutilation. He is weak, exhausted and very unhappy.

That is why close people should not ignore and remain indifferent to such a delicate problem that their relative has. They are able to support a person in trouble and help him avoid subsequent hellish suffering. However, it must be borne in mind: if the person you are trying to sincerely help resists your services with all your might, then it is unlikely that anything can be done about it. A person who lacks the motivation to change has no chance of changing his existence. Therefore, if a person refuses your services, it is better to leave him alone and seek professional medical help.
What to do when a relative is prone to self-harm? There is no need to create the appearance that everything is normal, and nothing catastrophic is happening. It is necessary to communicate with the affected person, tactfully indicating that you are aware of the difficulties. You need to indicate to the person that his situation is very disturbing to you. What is important to you is his well-being and mood. That you are ready to come to his aid and provide the required assistance.

Even if the person refuses your help, having a conversation in a friendly tone will significantly improve his well-being. He will understand that he is not alone with his trouble. He will feel that there are people who care about him. He will know that his life is interesting to someone, and problems are important. Such confidence will give him the strength to look for other methods of resolving a difficult situation. And, it is quite possible that soon he himself will personally turn to you for assistance and advice.
It is very important during a conversation with the affected subject to avoid reproaches, condemnation and criticism of his act. Almost always, a person who has injured herself repents of her sin, regrets that she made loved ones suffer. Reproaches and reproaches will oppress them even more and increase the feeling of guilt. The vast majority of people engaged in self-harm are suspicious, impressionable and vulnerable persons. They are very sensitive and immediately understand where the truth is and where the falsity is. Therefore, it is necessary to behave very naturally, delicately and tactfully. Try to encourage them, not increase their pain.

Another aspect to consider in cases of self-harm. A person almost always injures himself when he is alone. Therefore, in order to prevent a recurrence of an episode of self-harm, you should try to be near this person all his free time. Moreover, spending time together does not at all imply constant conversations about what happened. It is necessary to try to open to the suffering subject the fullness of life. Get interested in something fun. Entrust him with the implementation of important, but pleasant things for him. Offer to try yourself in some unknown areas.
It should be borne in mind that a person prone to self-harm cannot be given clear orders and prohibitions. It is impossible to persistently and unceremoniously interfere when an individual decides to hurt himself. Of course, this does not apply to cases where the subject has obvious mental problems. But in other situations, any person should have the right to choose. A person needs to feel their independence and independence. When he has the right to choose whether or not to harm himself, he is much more likely not to harm himself. When you set prohibitions and order not to harm yourself: you take away razors and knives, the more likely it is that he will cripple himself more to spite you and contrary to all prohibitions. In a situation with self-harm, it is impossible to prohibit, but it is necessary to offer an alternative.

It is necessary for a person to be offered to gradually replace harmful actions with other acts that are less painful and dangerous. For example, if a person likes to stick needles into his body, advise him to take a course of acupuncture - and the pain is present, and there is a benefit. If a person is euphoric, carving some symbols on their skin as a sign of their punishment, offer to get a tattoo in the salon, for example: on the inside of the wrist. Getting a tattoo on this sensitive spot will provide it with a painful sensation, and it will end up with an obvious visual sign of punishment. If the subject tortures himself by pinching his arms with tourniquets, advise him to place a tight band around his wrist. When he pulls and releases it, he will feel pain, but there will be no noticeable marks on his skin.
It is possible to jointly develop other options for replacement therapy: when the subject is overcome by the desire to harm his own body, he must occupy himself with other things. For example: tearing sheets of paper, hitting a punching bag, breaking old dishes. A good way to counteract self-mutilation is to seriously engage in sports, especially combat sports. After a battle in the ring with a serious opponent, there is a natural release of adrenaline. Together with this substance, during intense physical exertion, endorphins are produced, designed to reduce the pain that occurs during enhanced training.

It is important for others to understand that a person’s hands are not just scratches received out of stupidity, but these are witnesses to the existence of a psychological problem. Complete elimination of the tendency to self-harm is possible only if the true cause that caused a flurry of emotions or led to internal devastation is discovered and eliminated. The true culprit is often impossible to identify on one's own, as the memories of the traumatic event often lie outside of conscious awareness.

In such a situation, only an experienced psychotherapist or a certified hypnologist can establish the root of evil and develop a strategy for eliminating the problem. Therefore, if a person's need for self-harm does not subside over time, there is one way out - to seek help from a doctor. However, even medical work cannot guarantee the rapid achievement of the desired result. The issue of self-harm is a difficult task that does not accept haste and a standard approach. Each patient with this problem should develop his own therapy plan, the step-by-step following of which will ultimately lead to victory over the tendency to self-harm.