cutter

An individual who self-mutilates by laceration, as described in other entries. Although there are exceedingly rare examples of legitimate cutters, a vast majority (Johnson and Williams 2005, et al.) are simply attention seekers who will inflict very minor injury on themselves in imitation of more serious self-mutilation (Ibid.). In recent years, as media coverage and general societal awareness increase, self-mutilation has become more common than in the past, due much in part to "copycat crimes" wherein people imitate the mutilatory actions they've observed. Although it can be signs of a serious mental illness, one must take caution before assuming that self-mutilation is in itself a signifier of mental disturbance.