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Why does hurting myself make me feel better? Should I stop hurting myself or is it the right thing to do?

Profile: charlxro
charlxro on Apr 5, 2016
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Hurting yourself makes you feel better because you are forgetting about the things in life that make you suffer because you are focusing on the pain you inflict on yourself. Stopping hurting yourself id the right thing to do, it feels like it helps but it really just makes your problems build up. consider getting some medical help.
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Profile: AgentOink
AgentOink on Apr 25, 2016
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The fact hurting yourself can make you feel better seems odd, it almost makes no sense. Why would it? The simple answer is that it provides a form of relief, a way to express your feelings. But it is not a safe way to go about dealing with any negative feelings. If you are hurting yourself you should seek help from a professional on how to stop and alternatives. Some people like to exercise intensely when they feel the need to hurt themselves, others like to get some pencils and draw a picture of how they feel. Whatever works for you, but hurting yourself is not the right thing to do. Help yourself in a non-harmful way.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Feb 15, 2016
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It makes the pain reality. Obviusly I should stop. you should stop, everyone should stop hurting themselves: it's like a relief for that moment, I know, but think of your future and how you'll certainly recover sooner or later
Profile: ComeDreamWithMe
ComeDreamWithMe on Jul 13, 2015
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There's a couple different reasons, in my experience, why we commit self-harm. In my case, it was because the physical pain distracted me from my internal pain. That distraction added an aspect of pleasure with the pain. In the case of a dear friend of mine, she commits self-harm because she suffers from self-hate and finds pleasure in punishing herself. But no matter what feelings it may create, self-harm is never a good thing and everything should be done to avoid it. Self-harm brings a sense of shame and leads to more self-harm. Self-harm can also be extremely dangerous, leading to lasting physical problems or even death. There are many other better solutions than hurting yourself.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on May 6, 2015
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Hurting yourself from the outside may make you feel relief from pain inside, but hurting yourself is never the right thing to do.
Profile: gracefulSnow77
gracefulSnow77 on May 13, 2015
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Hurting yourself never helps, it may make you feel better for a little bit because you have control, but it is never the right thing to do.
Profile: mahta
mahta on May 24, 2015
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many people have different reasons, for some it is a way of dealing with things, for some it is about the feeling of power that it holds, for some it is a way of reminding themselves that they're the one in control. if you have been harming yourself for a long time it can be a bit difficult to stop, seek out help as in a counselor, local hotlines, a friend, or a listener on 7 cups of tea. i would love to help :)
Profile: dreamwithmelovers31
dreamwithmelovers31 on Jul 21, 2015
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for me, self harm or self destructive behavior was a coping mechanism. an unhelpful one at that. you should absolutely try and stop.
Profile: caringIceCream67
caringIceCream67 on Jan 5, 2016
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Hurting yourself is never the right thing to do. But certain personality finds reilf in doing so. I would say its always best to stop it, if you find it hard please meet some clinician.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Feb 1, 2016
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Hurting yourself is never the right thing to do. The pain from wounds you make or cause yourself temporarily removes the pain from your head or heart. But hurting yourself should not be an option. I recommend seeing a professional (psychologist for example).
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on May 23, 2016
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Hurting myself helps focus on the physical pain, instead of the mental pain. It is not right to do.
Profile: RiverHudson1
RiverHudson1 on Jun 1, 2020
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Hey! So sorry to hear that you’re hurting yourself. It’s incredibly tough and I can’t imagine what you’re dealing with. Hurting ourselves can make us feel better because for a number of reasons. We may feel that we have to punish ourselves for being hurt/upset/alive, we may feel that it is the only way to feel something as we might be numb, etc. We may feel that it is the only way to gain control over our lives, whichever aspect of it that may be. Hurting ourselves is something that may make us feel like we are able to *do* something. We have an impact, we matter. And that can make us feel better ❤️
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Apr 28, 2015
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It felt better for me because I had difficulty regulating my emotions at the time. You should stop hurting yourself because it has lasting damage to your body and there is also the risk of infection.
Profile: alfonsojon1997
alfonsojon1997 on Jun 22, 2015
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I understand the feeling, but it's never a solution, nor is it the right thing to do. If you're hurting yourself, I suggest you see a professional for help and any intervention. I may not know you personally, but I'm worried for anyone out there that is in trouble and needs help, so I hope you start feeling better soon!
Profile: YourfriendEmma
YourfriendEmma on Jul 20, 2015
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You know yourself better than anyone. There are some really great resources about self harm on our website. I'd encourage you to look there for guidance. If you are thinking of seriously harming yourself, please seek professional help.
Profile: GermanZebraCupcake
GermanZebraCupcake on Jul 27, 2015
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Hurting yourself is never the right thing to do. The line between pain and pleasure can be very thin for some people so we hurt ourselves to feel close to happiness. This is not a happiness replacement though and it's best to fill the space in our minds where we want to cut with something really rewarding like volunteer work or something. :)
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Sep 7, 2015
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Hurting yourself never helps in the long run. It cause emotional and physical damage. There's a number of reasons why it could make you feel better; it's something that you can control, it brings a sense of relief, and it gives you one thing to focus on.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Sep 15, 2015
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Hurting yourself (also known as self-harm) can often make people feel better in the immediate moment. When you hurt yourself you replace the negative feelings you are experiencing with a behavior that lets you get rid of those negative feelings. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, or you are harming yourself, I encourage you to reach out and talk to someone; a friend, a family member, a mental health worker, or someone here on 7 Cups. Self-harm is not a healthy way to manage your feelings, even though it may feel it in the beginning. Speak to someone you trust, there is help.
Profile: incrediblePurple91
incrediblePurple91 on Jan 11, 2016
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Hurting yourself is never the right thing to do, and in order to best answer this question I will refer to self-harm as a drug. It is addicting to the body, it releases endorphins that make you feel 'good' for a short period of time, which causes you to feel a little better- but not for long. When you are experiencing this endorphin rush, you are teaching yourself to enjoy the pain of self-harm. There are many other ways to release endorpins without harming your body. Exercise, chocolate, certain smells, music, spicy foods, laughter, and sex all release endorphins that are much healthier to the human body than self-harm.
Profile: sugaryHoney88
sugaryHoney88 on Feb 9, 2016
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Hurting myself, was not something that I enjoyed. As I chose to improve my whole being, I decide to remember what makes me feel better, mentally, psychologically, emotionally & physically. It demanded strong-self discipline traits, to which I had no idea I had until I purposely chose to look inside of myself for what makes me smile and feel good overall.
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