Cutting is a type of self-mutilation, which can also include burning, scraping, or other behaviors designed to cause injury to body tissue.  Some people involved in self-mutilation have even inserted objects, such as paper clips, beneath their skin.  The mutilation can take place a few times a year, or even a few times a day.  Self-mutilators are not trying to commit suicide when they engage in these behaviors.  They are attempting to heal the emotional pain they experience by inflicting physical pain in their bodies. 

Self-mutilators can be male or female, any age, any race, or come from any social class, although adolescents are the most common age group.  In one study, 28% of adolescents admitted to engaging in moderate/severe self-mutilation within the past year.  So what is going through these teens' heads when they self-mutilate?  There are many triggers.  They may be trying to relieve anxiety, loneliness, depression or other negative emotions.  They may be seeking to exercise control over their lives, or control family members through their behavior.  They may also self-mutilate to deal with the pain of abuse from their past.  Often, the process of feeling physical pain, or seeing blood, produces feelings of safety, relief, or relaxation.  This relief is only temporary.  That is why self-mutilators need professional help to deal with the emotions they feel in healthy ways.  If they don't get help, they could hurt themselves more frequently, more severely, or even end up in an emergency room.  Typically, the sooner someone gets help, the easier it is for them to recover from their destructive behavior.

So, let's say a friend of yours really is a cutter or self-mutilator.  What should you do?  You may be disgusted and not want to deal with the situation, but he/she are going to need your support more than ever.  Remember to show your friend unconditional care and concern for his/her well being.  If you have a friend who is involved in self-mutilation, just telling him/her to stop is not going to be effective.  You need to tell a trusted adult or school counselor so he/she can get the professional help he/she needs.  Some teens may turn to online communities like Myspace.com™ or xanga.com™ to get support or share personal stories to help deal with their self-mutilation.  These exchanges can be positive, but in a few cases these sites may "trigger" teens to engage or increase their involvement in self-mutilation.  That's why it is so important to call in the professionals.  It's a crazy world out there, and we all need a little help from time to time.  So, disgust, concern, shock, or confusion, no matter what is going on in that brain of yours, find the courage to be a true friend and do the right thing.

Sources:

Levenkron, Steven.  Cutting:  Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation.  New York:  W.W. Norton and Company, 2006.

Lloyd-Richardson, Elizabeth, et al. "Characteristics and Functions of Non-suicidal Self-Injury in a Community Sample of Adolescents." Psychological Medicine 37 (2007): 1183-1192.

Conterio, Karen; Lader, Wendy; Whitlock, Janis.  "The Internet and Self-Injury: What Psychotherapists Should Know."  Journal of Clinical Psychology 63 (2007): 1135-1143.