From my experience, the stigma of cutting doesn't really know gender. People just like to make fun of anyone who exhibits 'emo' behaviour.

I used to be a cutter a long time ago..about 15 years ago. I was highly emotional and suicidal. All the therapists and docs thought it was cause I had bi-polar or massive depression. I found it out it was neither...I was transgendered and damned frustrated.

Well, girls who cut are definitely stigmatized by girls who don't cut. But it's a little different for boys - the boys who call cutters "sissies" and "emo kids" may very well be cutters themselves. It's a similar dynamic to male homophobia.

I wish we didn't feel the need to reinforce the 'gender stereotype' of self mutilation/harm. (i.e., 'cutting is a very female thing to do'. Erhm. Last I heard, it was a 'very disturbing/painful thing that People In Need Of Help to do'.)

Contrary to what posters here have stated reinforcing this, the only other people I've known who actually had a serious cutting problem, were GUYS, cis or trans. I've known less women who did it, and zero who actually had to be hospitalized as a result. I figured it was because guys tend not to readily cry, or vent/express themselves as a way of relieving tension the way women are conditioned to, thus turn to more violent ways of expressing pain(I consider punching things until your hands are bloody to be similar if not the same, thing. A violent/damaging action that creates the sensation of 'release', a chemical coping method for the emotionally maladjusted.) But any of these personal findings is so utterly opinionated/subjective/inconclusive anyway.

Cutting was always about anger for me, I did it when I was angry at myself.

Quote from: SilverFang on June 17, 2010, 02:56:12 AM
They get frustrated and they punch/kick things because well, it works.

I used to do this more often than the little scratches. I remember one time I punched a steel shelf in home depot and almost broke my hand. That wasn't fun.

I agree on physical exertion helping-- Martial arts has always helped a lot for me. However, I'm only involved in that off and on, due to time and money constraints. Most any kind of exercise will do, though, as long as it's enjoyable and leaves me feeling tired, sore, and accomplished.

That's more of a preventative measure than anything, though, so it needs to be regular enough to keep me from getting to the point where I feel like hurting myself. It doesn't work to calm me back down once I've already worked myself up to the point of wanting to hurt myself.

...sometimes I can calm myself back down by going for a long walk with loud music, though, because that combines physical movement with distraction and gets me away from my house (which is usually the source of my frustration as well as the easiest place for me to find things to hurt myself). As long as I'm able to take a walk, I'm usually okay. The problem arises when for whatever reason, walking is not an option. (Such as in the middle of the night, or while I'm in the middle of something that I really can't just stop.)

Quote from: Lachlann on June 17, 2010, 05:06:00 AM
From my experience, the stigma of cutting doesn't really know gender. People just like to make fun of anyone who exhibits 'emo' behaviour.

Same.  And for me, I wasn't looking for a release.  I was tempted to do it because I hated myself and wanted to injure myself.   Luckily I always talked myself out of it.

For getting rid of anger I like to go biking until I'm exhausted!  Then I'm too tired to be upset.

I tagged "not anymore" but I have a razor in the drawer... just in case...

I know 2 people who cut, my friend (male) and daughter. Until about 5 years ago, I never heard of this cutting thing. I have an ex who liked shooting himself tho. He finally died from it.

i cant vote cos this phone im having to usewont let me but between the ages of 14 and 20 i cut myself a lot. then i calmed down but still did it. think the last time was 15 months ago and i went way too deep and long cos something distracted me and the blade slipped. So almost 22 years of cutting. SInce i saw my gp about transitioning ive only felt the urge once though. Ive tried exercise and various other ways over the years but other than punching a wall til i break my knuckles nothing else comes close

I marked "yes" because, even though my last actual cut was several months ago, I still punch myself/punch really hard things when I get depressed. I don't like to think that cutting is segregated to females, but I'll admit that estrogen does make people a lot more irrational and likely to do that sort of thing.

Self-harmed for years and years. Sorting out my gender identity has helped a great deal - my head's in a better place. I do have quite a few tattoos, which are arguably a more positive release (and also improve my self-image).

I know, it's just a stereotype. I was inclined to believe it because I've known female cutters but no males. Maybe I just ended up with insane females and attracted sane males. (If there was a shrug emote, I would put it here.)

I've known a few guys that cut. Thing with the guys is they hide it better. Some do their legs or inner thighs rather than with females who go for the easiest access, the wrists and/or arms. They also make up better excuses for the scars...Ohhhh!! That? That's where I fell off my motorcycle when I was 18!

Quote from: Bones on June 17, 2010, 03:41:05 PM
I've known a few guys that cut. Thing with the guys is they hide it better. Some do their legs or inner thighs rather than with females who go for the easiest access, the wrists and/or arms. They also make up better excuses for the scars...Ohhhh!! That? That's where I fell off my motorcycle when I was 18!

My ex used to cut on her thighs so no one would see them.

Quote from: SilverFang on June 17, 2010, 03:28:59 PM
I know, it's just a stereotype. I was inclined to believe it because I've known female cutters but no males. Maybe I just ended up with insane females and attracted sane males. (If there was a shrug emote, I would put it here.)

just as far as ive noticed, it's more acceptable for guys to wear long sleeves and/or pants in warm weather, so you maybe just don't see it as much.

also the whole "talking about your emtotions" thing.


Yes.. don't like admitting it.
But i've been trying to stop. So far i've found I can go about 4 months before the preasure outweighs my alternate coping skills.
meh.
i dont want to do this anymore, so yeah i'm gonna make it a point to quit.

I have been self-harming since I was nine or ten. It started with holding my arms against hot lightbulbs until the skin blistered and then keeping the scab going for as long as I could, and it progressed when I was around 11 or 12 to cutting and more serious burning.  I still cut sometimes.
I do it when I feel like no one understands what I am going through and my head is going to blow off. It makes me feel a lot better.

started cutting at around 11/12, did it for a loooong time. Then I started to sort out my feelings and my depression and it stopped for a few years; aaand then I got pregnant and I'm doing it again >.>

I cutted  a lot in 7th grade and got sent to a place for it. I didn't really know why I just said I got bored and couldn't think of anything happy. THEy just said I had servere depression. I didn't think feeling like a boy was a good excuse so I didn't say that. THEy just put me on medicine but I stopped that.