cutter

Slang term, sometimes degrading, for someone who voluntarily mutilates themselves through slicing, scratching, burning, slapping, biting, etc, because of extreme emotional distress. Usually they have a mental illness, such as depression or anxiety. They do NOT want attention or pity. It is a way to vent. It is impossible to fully understand until you start it yourself. There are people of all ages and all cliques and all of everything that injure themselves. It has nothing to do with being "emo" or "goth." It has nothing to do with trying to look "depressed" and it has nothing to do with attention. Self-injury is addicting. Self-injury is a mode of relief. It's been proven people suffering from mental illnesses are less likely to commit suicide if they injure themselves. Self-injury is a serious issue that should be delt with seriously. If you can't respect someone just because they injure themselves, you just need to pull your head out of your ass. Please, please, please be understanding and compassionate. It's a sensitive thing. If someone tells you they injure themselves PLEASE be very understanding and just...be there for them. Don't demand them to stop, don't tell them they're stupid, don't ignore them or ditch them, that will make everything worse.