The reasons why teens self-mutilate may be one of the most difficult things to understand. For anyone who would never consider, or even think of intentionally causing harm to themselves, the concept of self-mutilation may seem bizarre and frightening. The reasons for self harm may be difficult to discover and differs among teens. Many teens say these are some of the reasons they engage in self-harm:
- It relieves tension
- It's a way to express anger, or other unacceptable feelings
- To punish themselves
- To "numb out"
- To feel "alive"
- It gives them a sense of control
- It relieves feelings of emptiness
- It replaces "bad" thoughts
- To calm down
- It gives them a euphoric feeling
Many teens use self-injury as a coping mechanism to help them release tension, relieve stress, and overcome feelings of depression. Self mutilation provides temporary relief of pain or overwhelming feelings or emotions that the teen doesn't feel like they can deal with. This behavior can become very habit forming and addictive, much like some drugs.
Many teens do not have the maturity or verbal skills to work through or discuss the things they are feeling and therefore turn to self mutilation as a way to release the tensions and stress associated with their emotional distress. These teens often lack other ways to release or deal with these overwhelming emotions, such as physical sports, regular exercise programs, therapy, or anyone they feel they can confide in.
