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Wrist Cutting in Women

Wrist cutting is a form of self-harm. It is non-suicidal in intent and it is estimated that the majority of self-harmers are women between the ages of 13 and 30.

  1. Self-harm

    • Though wrist-cutting is traditionally associated with suicide attempts, self-harm is not generally an attempt to take one's own life. Rather it is a coping mechanism for stress or pressure, or an attempt to assert control over one's life. Many who self-harm are sufferers from past trauma, such as rape.

    Gender

    • Though more suicide attempts are made by males, the majority of self-harmers are female. Aside from individual traumas, this can be put down to the particular pressures society puts on young women, both in terms of sexuality and in terms of success in education, relationships and work.

    Myths

    • Some may believe that self-harmers are "crazy", or that self-harming is merely a "cry for help." Generally speaking, neither of these are true. Self-harming is an attempt at dealing with emotions.

    Getting Help

    • If you are self-harming, you should seek help immediately. Speak to your doctor, or ask to be referred to a specialist, or psychiatric professional. If you don't feel ready to do this, speak to a friend or family member. There are also websites and forums on the Internet that you can consult, including recoveryourlife.com.

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