One of the more hazardous outcomes of depression is cutting. Cutting is considered a form of self injury where a teen purposely makes scratches or cuts on their body with a sharp object, hard enough to break the skin and make it bleed. For cutters, the pain felt when cutting seems to alleviate the concerns weighing on them from something else that is bothersome in their life. Even if it begins accidentally, cutting can become more frequent and dangerous.
Teens can cut with any number of objects you could find in a utility drawer, and after time cutters develop an array of scars and marks on their bodies. They may try to hide their scars by wearing a lot of jewelry, covering them up with makeup, or wearing long sleeves and pants to keep others from noticing what they have been doing in secret.
Every cut inflicted by a teen could result in accidental or intentional suicide. If you are a cutter, it is important to realize that no matter how difficult life may seem or how painful the problems you are dealing with may be, cutting is not the answer. Not only are you hurting yourself and creating permanent damage to your body, but you are upsetting those around you by not sharing your feelings and by hiding a dangerous secret.
If you are a cutter or you think that one of your friends might be hurting themselves by cutting, seek the help of a parent or counselor immediately. Cutting often becomes addictive and can become an extremely difficult habit to break, so seeking help is really the only way to stop.
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