Cutting
By Zeina Moukarzel
MD-Anesthesiologist, Critical Care Physician, General Physician, Addiction Medicine
Reading Time:
1 minute
Cutting is a self-harm practice consisting of making small cuts on the body, usually on hands and legs. Although it is a behavior looking like a suicide attempt, cutting is different and is not an attempt to die.
Self-harm typically starts around the age of 14
Many reasons are behind this behavior. Some are:
- Mental illness: at its beginning. Cutting could be the first sign of the mental disease
- Coping strategy
- Stress: overwhelming and difficult to address
- Sexual, physical, verbal abuse
- Emotional problems
- Breakup of a relationship
- Culture (secte)
- Movies’ influence
- Etc.
Self-injury can be the first symptom of Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Schizophrenia, Eating Disorder
This behavior is not a simply attention-getter. It is an impulsive reaction to feel better. In fact, cutting release endorphins which create a feel-good feeling, similar to the effect of drugs (cocaine).
Kids who self-harm should be referred to a psychiatrist and/or psychotherapist.
LAMSA’s note: open conversation with kids about their negative emotions
