Why is self-harm so addictive?
147 Answers
Last Updated: 07/26/2019 at 5:31am
★ This question about Self-Harm was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
Moderated by
Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT
Marriage & Family Therapist
I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.
Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
January 7th, 2016 7:46am
Self Harm is addictive because most feel its the only way to control pain. others think its a way of punishing themselves when they think they arent worth it. but i promise everyone is!!
It gives you a sense of self control when you feel like you have none. This makes you want to continue over and over .
Self harm is addictive, because it initially provides emotional relief, but then creates more guilt shortly after, therefore making you want to feel that brief moment of relief as much as possible. Sometimes people feel like they are calm afterwards, when infact they tend to feel numb instead. It is a vicious cycle because our emotions are the most powerful tool in our lives.
Anonymous
January 9th, 2016 11:04am
It can be addictive because it gives you a sense of control. Something that probably lead you to starting in the first place
Because you think it takes the pain away. But let me tell you one thing, it won't help, it didn't help me, so it won't help you
Once it happens, it's hard to stop. Once it happens. you feel how enjoyable it actually is, and when you stop for a while, you feel like there's something wrong. it's very easy to start, but very hard to stop. Why is it addictive? Because it takes the pain away, the emotional pain, you kill the pain from the inside by self-harming. you hurt yourself from the outside, to kill the pain from the inside. the pain is constant, so self-harm becomes addictive.
Self-harm can become an addiction to an individual that wants to release their emotions. Some feel it is an outlet to let the emotions escape thus causing a feeling of relief. However, these feelings are short lived. Self-harm releases the way that an individual feels for a while, causing them to become addicted to cutting themselves, pulling their hair, biting and other actions that make them feel pain. Those who engage in self-harm often are caught in a vicious cycle and may have trouble breaking on their own, so it is crucial to seek help.
I feel from personal experience, it is so addicting because it can become a primary coping mechanism. People may use this to feel something, or to distract themselves when something becomes too much.
From my personal experience, self-harm is a form of relief. It helps you feel alive. And once you stop doing it for a while and if you get in that "dark" place again, you start to feel the need to be "alive" again so your brain remembers that self-harm gave you that kind of feeling.
self harm is an adiction firstly this needs to be realised and it is so addictive as it allows these porr people to feel something it can be a cryout for help
It is a coping mechanism during times of depressive periods, and it provides a very temporary relief. Perhaps the need to feel an immediate burst of relief (in the form of pain, or something else) is what brings a person to self harm more than once.
Anonymous
January 17th, 2016 10:05pm
Self-harm is addictive because of the rush of feelings it brings. Any method used as a coping mechanism will elicit a sense of comfort and familiarity if the habit is regular, and that relief is addictive. It also provides a way to relieve pent up feelings, and can be addictive if percieved as the only way to escape.
Because it's like a drug. Once you start, its very difficult to stop. With the right people, and time. You'll get passed it.
Anonymous
January 22nd, 2016 5:27pm
You feel that every but is numbing the pain. When really, it's just endorsing it. But, even if it's hurting you worse, you feel that it's nit, you think that it's making it better. All because, you just want to numb your feelings and heart, and this is the only way you can.
Anonymous
January 24th, 2016 9:58pm
There is a certain relief or release of pain that comes with it, especially if one would consider themselves a masochist. Sometimes the only way to relieve stress is to take it out on yourself, whether it be emotional or physical. Aside from enjoying the pain physically, the problem goes much deeper than that.
When a person self-harms it releases tension and stress, if the tension and stress is continued to be relieved by self-harm then eventually you will believe it's the only way to stop emotional pain. Another reason it could be so addictive is because it releases chemicals like dopamine; most drugs are addictive for the same reason and can be classed as self-harm. But there is plenty of other healthy ways to relieve tension and stress.
Anonymous
January 29th, 2016 12:06pm
When people are sad or depressed they crave the need to feel anything, pain is one of the easiest things to feel which is why self-harm is addictive.
Anonymous
January 30th, 2016 6:35pm
It releases this hormone in your body that makes you happier. but its not something you should do, hiding the scars is very hard.
Because it is a way to release your emotions and sort of a way to cope. When you start it helps and you keep wanting to do it more and more to get the same effect. It's horrible.
Self harm can be very addicting because once you start and people find out the tell you to do it so you listen it is not good for you don't listen to those people
Self harm releases endorphins which make you feel good making it hard to stop. As well, it helps reduce stress. Often, people find that release hard to find in other places making it hard to stop self-harm.
Because you feel the urge to hurt more and release the emotional pain that way. Only you feel bad afterwards and its a cycle
Anonymous
February 12th, 2016 8:05am
In my point of view, its a way to "take away" painful feelings. The pain distracts us from what we are actually feeling. Self harm is not a good way to numb painful feelings, always talk to someone about how you feel towards life.
Its like any other addiction, it gives you a feeling that once you feel it once you crave it again and again. But as you fufil that craving you need more of it to satisfy the need. Its accessible wherever you are aswel which makes it one of the hardest addictions to break.
Anonymous
October 17th, 2016 5:25am
You can control the pain you feel inside with the flick of a blade. The feeling can numb what you feel inside because you're more focused on the pain you're feeling on the outside
Self harm is addictive because it releases endorphins which make you feel good which ultimately makes you want to cut again.
We become addicted to the pain because it is the one thing that we can control in our lives. When we are going through a lot of pain that we cannot control, we try to find things that we can control, such as self harm. It becomes addicting because we are finally in control of what we feel, after a long time of suffering without feeling a sense of control. I do not endorse self harm, but i can help because i have been through it myself and i know how addictive it can be, even years after it has happened.
Related Questions: Why is self-harm so addictive?
why does cutting make me feel better but then bad afterwards?I harm myself on purpose. I never do it because I need to cope, I do it because I like the pain and like to have something on my body. I know I should stop, but I don't want to. Why is that?Does cutting for only a few months and stopping make me any less of a self-harmer?How do I explain scars when a young child asks about them?What do I say to people that ask about my scars without making them uncomfortable?How to deal with self-harm alone?Why do some wounds turn purple?Is scratching yourself with a paper clip on purpose considered self harm when you don’t bleed?Whenever I bandage myself with rolled gauze I can never get it tight enough, so it always ends up slipping off. I want to be able to bandage myself properly. Any tips?If I don't have a bandage big enough to cover a cut what else can I use?