//IF YOU'RE NOT MUCH OF A READER, SKIP TO TYPES OF SELF-HARM FOR IMAGES//

BRIEF LIST OF TOPICS

1). What is self-harm?
2). Why do people self-harm? Psychological and biological reasons.
3). Common self-harm terminology in online communities.
4). Types of self-harm [GRAPHIC]
5). [META] Why do people watch self-harm content?

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1). What is self-harm?

Self-harm is the act of purposeful pain caused to oneself. People can engage in this behaviour consciously or unknowingly.
Many people do not realize their outlet for negative (or even positive) emotions is classified as self-harm. The example that comes to mind, is a tattoo artist I used to know, who would do tattoos on himself to feel the pain when upset.
From the outside, it doesn't seem like the typical self-harm method, but the psychological and biological reasoning is the exact same.
Self-injury is typically done without the intention to end one's life.
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2). Why do people self-harm? Psychological and biological reasons.

Generally, it's to cope with negative emotions, especially when you have no other (healthy) way to work through your issues.
Important thing to mention is, self-harm is very addictive. More on that later.

//Interactions between psychology and biology//

The quote "Self-harm changes emotional pain into physical pain" might seem cliché, but that's the reality.
When it comes to sensing physical and emotional pain, our brains use the same two areas: the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex.

These are the areas in the brain that process pain, regardless of whether we stubbed our toe or found out our parents are dead.
Pain relievers also act on these two areas, regardless of whether someone is experiencing emotional or physical pain. A 2010 study in Psychological Science revealed that the pain relievers such as Tylenol or paracetamol (acetaminophen) helped to relieve the distress associated with social rejection and also decreased activity in the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex.

People who self-harm, have learned that, while the pain peaks with self-injury, it then comes down the other side.
The physical pain lessens – as does the emotional pain.

//Addiction//

Self-harm is incredibly addictive in its nature.
Recent neurobiological work indicates that drug addiction is due in part to the positive reinforcement associated with increasing extracellular dopamine levels in the brain.
Similarly, self-harm is believed to stimulate dopamine production in the brain, and the feelings of relief this hormone helps produce can lead vulnerable people to become addicted to the process.

//Strictly psychological reasons//

a) Acting out on impulse when under high emotional distress, clouded judgement, feeling the need to act out on one's overwhelming emotions
b) The belief you deserve to be hurt, self-blame, generally an attitude developed due to trauma (C-PTSD, PTSD, Borderline personality disorder).
c) Self-hate, this one is most likely going to lead to suicidal ideation.
d) Feelings of emotional numbness (caused by depression, dysthymia, cyclothymia, bipolar type 2) which cause the person affected to desperately try find a way to feel something. This reason is strongly tied to the mechanism described in //Interactions between psychology and biology//
e) Feelings of grandiosity, beliefs of one's immortality and greatness caused by mania (bipolar, especially type 1).
f) Poor emotional regulation, emotional outburts (borderline, autism).
g) Distraction from negative feelings, stopping traumatic memories and dissociation.
h) Craving and gaining a distorted sense of control in your life.
i) Self-hard addiction, without any additional reasons.
j) Having something in life that one can always rely on.
k) Real or perceived guilt.
l) "Attention-seeking", believing you need to do something drastic for people to care about you or believe you're experiencing issues.
m) Having no healthy outlet for emotions.
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3). Common self-harm terminology in online communities.

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4). Types of self-harm.

|CUTTING|

Probably the most common form of self-harm. No need for an explanation.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|REMOVING PARTS OF BODY|

Ripping off body fat, ripping off skin, removing parts of tissue.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|PIERCING|

Stabbing oneself, pushing objects into your body.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|BURNING|

No explanation needed.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|CARVING OR SCARIFICATION|

Carving/homemade scarification is about cutting/burning/etc patterns onto your skin.
This is also a body modification procedure, but people depicted in the following photos are doing this with the intention to cause oneself pain.
Some people prefer this to normal cutting since it requires more focus (it's more calming, takes away attention from your issue) and leaves prettier, more innocuous scars.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|DELIBERATE SELF-NEGLECT|

This can involve many behaviours, it's about neglecting your health (broken bones, illness, diet, wounds, etc)
The images I have unfortunately only portray two of these types.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|NOT LETTING INJURIES HEAL|

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|BLOODLETTING|

IMAGES AND VIDEOS:

|OTHER:|

Hitting, medicine misuse, drug consumption, biting, bone-breaking, choking.
While I do have examples of hitting, I feel uncomfortable including it in this post since it's mostly autisic meltdowns lol
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5). Why do people watch self-harm?

The reason why I'm such a big advocate for keeping the self-harm category on this site is because I know for a fact many self-harmers watch this type of content to stop harming their own self.
Seeing someone else do what you associate with relief, dopamine, and help can to some extent let you feel the associated feelings.

It's all thanks to empathy and imagination. You either empathize with the person harming themselves, which your brain can turn to actual sensations on your body, or you imagine that person is you.
Neither of those are exactly a healthy coping mechanism but it's a hundred times better than actually, physically harming yourself.

Of course, that's not the only reason (although the most important). Some people just watch it out of curiosity, or for the same reason you watch regular gore.
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!Closing notes!

It's often difficult for people who don't self-harm to understand why anyone would. But knowing about this bit of neuroscience might help make self-harm a little less mysterious.
Shedding a bit of light on the subject was my intention here, hopefully this will create a bit more understanding.

some type of protest

NOT OC

i don't have much context about this video. I just know I got it on 4chan a long time ago and it seems to be a suicidal teenager named Justin.

Ima be off this site for a couple months this shit not good for ur brain LMAO, but thought id post this before I go for y'all weirdos

"Do consider logging off. Watching these videos doesn't improve your life in any way. I'm not your dad, though, so whatever." - CLiTPEELER

Good afternoon

scratch and cut treatment tutorial

ㅤ(Some products may not be available in your country!)

ㅤ

1. After causing an injury (light)

It should be simply smeared with alcohol-containing disinfectant (except iodine iodine on alcohol is very aggressive) Betadine is also suitable.

1. After inflicting medium damage (the cut is deep, ran blood) should wait for the bleeding to stop and then wash the wound with chlorhexedine or hydrogen peroxide, after - lubricate with alcohol-containing disinfectant and apply a bandage.

The dressing should be changed once a day until there are no more visible secretions (blood, bloodwort, pus) on the dressing.

1. Severe injuries - deep cuts, caused, hopefully, accidentally....

All the same thing, only really, I would see a doctor....

Cuts to the muscle or fascial layer (white stuff) are pretty dangerous stuff. An infection to either muscle or fascia spreads throughout the body, so it's definitely worth doing the treatment, and at the slightest indisposition or fever, it's worth going to the hospital.

Let's talk about improvised means

What to replace the bandage and gauze?

Gauze that is applied to the wound can be replaced with a pad.

The bandage can be replaced with a handkerchief.

Hydrogen peroxide can be replaced with chlorhexedine or, in the last resort, boiled water.

Alcohol-containing remedy - vodka, cognac, any alcohol with 40 and more % alcohol

In the most extreme cases, you can take a well-washed and crumpled plantain and pray....

Ointments

For better healing of the skin, dexpanthenol ointment should be used.

It can be replaced with syntomycin, if your budget is very limited.

There's also streptocide. Both powder and ointment.....

...

Purulence.

Yellow or greenish mucus or clots appearing on or in the wound?

Congratulations, you've gotten an infection in the wound that is starting to eat you from the inside out....

What do we do?

There is a remedy - ointment Vishnevsky, very fragrant, I, for example, really like how it smells ...

You should wash the wound well from pus, shake it to squeeze out what is inside, wash it again, apply the ointment and put a bandage on it

So, uh.

If my senile memory serves me correctly, that's about it...

ㅤLove to all of you. ❤️

enjoy :)

repentforthysins is a well known person within the sh community for extreme selfharm. they are still alive and do continue to post gore and other sh videos on instagram when they arent being suspended.