1% of all people (2 million Americans alone) inflict pain on themselves physically by cutting, burning, head-banging and other such acts.

Sometimes it is difficult to determine where to draw the line between self-injury and "body modification." It is generally accepted that it depends on the person's reason for the act. (For example, getting a tattoo or a piercing because it "looks cool" is different than having it done because the act itself causes pain.)

Self-Injury is a coping mechanism similar to drinking, smoking, binge eating, drug abuse, workaholism, and anorexia.

Self-Injurers are not generally a risk to anyone but themselves.

Self-Injury is not a failed suicide attempt. It is also not a cry for attention. On the contrary, people who self-injure are often very clever in hiding their wounds, and equally clever at making excuses when their wounds are discovered.

In emergency rooms, people with self-inflicted wounds are often told directly and indirectly that they are not as deserving of care as someone who has an accidental injury. They are treated badly by the same doctors who would not hesitate to do everything possible to preserve the life of an overweight, sedentary heart-attack patient.


Famous Self-Injurers
Angelina Jolie    (actress)
Fiona Apple    (singer)
Johnny Depp   (actor)
Courtney Love    (singer/actress)
Shirley Manson    (singer)
Christina Ricci    (actress)
Elizabeth Wurtzel    (writer)
Princess Diana

If the content of this journal entry makes you uncomfortable to read, then maybe you can get a small taste of what some people live with everyday. Today is National Self-Injury Awareness Day. Today, I will be wearing my white and orange bracelet. Tonight, I will be standing in front of a stage watching My Chemical Romance preform, feeling no guilt because today I am clean. I know I am strong. I know I can stay this way. But I know that there are still people out there that need help. Most of them won't ask for it, so it's up to us to help them save themselves. And if you are one of these people... remember that you are not a freak and you are never alone.

_knowyoulive

this_hurts