For those who have scars (of any kind) how do you feel about them?

[Anonymoususer1234]

I was curious to see how people here felt about having scars.

 

[chloramine]

I was very careful not to create scars but ended up with a couple burn scars anyways. They're relatively hidden and not super noticeable so they've never caused problems. Sometimes I'm still anxious people will see them and they can be annoying but I have a certain fondness for them at other times.

 

[meandthebirds]

i only self-harmed when i was in a state of not being able to make logical decisions, now that i've been clean for 3 months or so i've thought about my scars a lot and very much regret ever cutting myself. they are very visible and especially now in the summer when it's uncomfortable to wear long sweaters etc. i was never a fan of going swimming at the beach or pool, but now i literally can't ever wear a swimsuit or shorts because of my scars.
i have also had depressive thoughts like, maybe my future partner will see my scars and be weirded out, eventually thinking i'm some mentally ill person.

 

[enough of this]

I have physical scars, but my hatred for them pales in comparison to my emotional scars. It's the emotional and mental scars which cause the most trauma. Those are the scars that drive me to want to CTB.

 

[stainedtips]

I self-harmed on my knee a couple months ago in a fit of stupidity. I didn't think about the consequences and they are obvious. I can't wear shorts in this weather because they'll pop up and be noticeable. I wish I never did them or at least did them somewhere else

 

[lokabe82]

They're everywhere. I can't hide them.

 

[Parasitic]

I have a fair few across arms/stomach/legs/torso none of which I feel much about, I don't like that they are there of course but pretty indifferent about seeing them, been there for years now so it guess I got used to seeing them, that being said I have 3 on my arm that I hate to see because of the reasoning behind them (It was out of anger for 2 other peoples actions and I took it out on myself instead of confronting the problem). For some reason theres just 1 pretty small one just above my stomach that I hate although I don't have reasoning behind it but just that one in particular I hate even though its no different to the others. The ones on my shins/calves when I see them take me back to the aftermath of doing them, it was summer time maybe 2018/19 and it was the burning pain of walking round in jeans with them rubbing on the cuts mixed with sweating and having to hide how much it was stinging/burning as I was in a group of people in public. Last one is a pretty small one on my wrist which was from my first "attempt" at ctb (although looking back it was never going to work but in my stupid 16 year old head I heard slit wrist was instant death) and it means something to me because its MM away from the artery (I had no clue about how veins v arteries locations and just went for it completely missing like an idiot) and I look back on that and think damn if only I knew how bad things were really gonna get I woulda done a better job. The only thing that really bothers me is when someone mentions them and I have to play it off like it was nothing or im fine now.

Sorry for the ramble

 

[MidnightCat]

Most of my scars are not really visible. I made sure to make them in a place it's not easy to see unless I'm completely naked.

However.. I've got two on my arms. It fluctuates between: I feel sorry for myself and they make me ashamed / I dislike them / I REALLY hate them.

Most of the time is just dislike.

 

[idlegirl]

i really don't like that by having them on display, i'm telling people about a very personal part of me without having to say anything at all.

 

[MidnightCat]

i only self-harmed when i was in a state of not being able to make logical decisions, now that i've been clean for 3 months or so i've thought about my scars a lot and very much regret ever cutting myself. they are very visible and especially now in the summer when it's uncomfortable to wear long sweaters etc. i was never a fan of going swimming at the beach or pool, but now i literally can't ever wear a swimsuit or shorts because of my scars.
i have also had depressive thoughts like, maybe my future partner will see my scars and be weirded out, eventually thinking i'm some mentally ill person.

If that helps..

My wife doesn't really pay much attention to them and never thought I was some kind of mental freak.

She just felt sorry at the beginning... But it's been years now and they seem to be "invisible" to her now.

 

[krxbs]

My scars are a nuisance because I have to be constantly aware of them and hide them from people I don't trust, and I sometimes get reckless and forget to do that... But they're also a source of comfort because they're undeniable proof of my suffering and it helps me to not doubt myself. So that's why I voted "my feelings fluctuate"... It's complicated

 

[blank_slab]

it really depends on which scars because I hate my permanent scars on my left upper arm but when I have recent cuts on my wrist I feel obsessed with them when I'm alone but then when I'm with people I realize how stupid of a decision it was to cut at my wrist but right now i'm 6 days clean so no recent scars are really visible cause my last sh was scratching

 

[meandthebirds]

If that helps..

My wife doesn't really pay much attention to them and never thought I was some kind of mental freak.

She just felt sorry at the beginning... But it's been years now and they seem to be "invisible" to her now.

i'm sure if it's the right person they won't judge me for all the scars on my body. it would be amazing to find someone like that in the future, but people just seem so judgemental these days

 

[voc_89]

i have scars in a few places. Arms. Legs. Chest. Back. The worst one I had to get scar treatment ointment to help fade it off (I carved "f**k up" into my leg and it was pretty visible). For the most part I accepted that they are a part of me and thus far may be perceived as just injuries as ex-gfs never asked me about them. Or maybe I think they are noticeable but they don't

i only self-harmed when i was in a state of not being able to make logical decisions, now that i've been clean for 3 months or so i've thought about my scars a lot and very much regret ever cutting myself. they are very visible and especially now in the summer when it's uncomfortable to wear long sweaters etc. i was never a fan of going swimming at the beach or pool, but now i literally can't ever wear a swimsuit or shorts because of my scars.
i have also had depressive thoughts like, maybe my future partner will see my scars and be weirded out, eventually thinking i'm some mentally ill person.

i think these days mental health is getting more attention/acceptance. I think for instance the CDC reported that as of 2020 (in some parts of the country) 1 in 3 adults suffered with depression. With something so widespread its clear that you will meet individuals with baggage/trauma. Thats just the time we live in. If it helps, I thought my scars were bad but none of my exs ever highlighted them. Also, if you like, you can try using scar treatment ointment to help reduce the appearance of them. I used Mederma Advanced Scar Gel. Worked well for me. But u know be careful as skin types, sensitivity, etc. differ by person.

 

[ferret-in-a-sock]

I have the fun experience of getting a scar across my face early from a dog bite, so SH scars don't really upset me. Like I grew up from age 1+ to 13 staring at a deep gouge scar on my face. It mutes your opinion on scars permanently. By teenage years it faded and honestly acne did far worse than it.

SH scars are whatever. Don't hate em. Don't love most of em. But I forget about them once they heal up tbh. It's when people take notice of them I go on guard. But that happens rarely.

 

[cami]

i have very large, raised, purple scars on both of my arms. there are over 75 of them. i like them when im at home alone, because they are proof i have suffered. but in public, i am ashamed. i get stares and whispers, and it is just horrible. so i like my scars until im in the public where stigma steps into the equation.

 

[redisblue]

Sometimes I hate them, sometimes I just don't really care. I hate them most often during the summer because they're a lot more noticeable and I can't cover them up as easily, but during the winter I don't care as much. It really just depends on the circumstance.

 

[5alvia]

I self-harmed on my knee a couple months ago in a fit of stupidity. I didn't think about the consequences and they are obvious. I can't wear shorts in this weather because they'll pop up and be noticeable. I wish I never did them or at least did them somewhere else

Can I ask why you chose your knee? Was it one of those "red mist" kind of situations? Or something else? I used to tattoo myself for SH and now im completely stuck with numerous shitty pieces of ink. I suppose you could blame it on a fall, if that helps at all? I don't want to push you into answering or make you feel uncomfortable, so feel free to tell me to fuck off

 

[notwhereIbelong]

My scars from self harm mostly embarrass me, because I'm scared people will notice them and try to make a comment or ask about them. Now that it's summer they especially make me anxious. If it wasn't for that, I actually kind of like the look of scars.
I have a couple of other scars from minor surgery, but since they weren't self-Inflicted I never worried about them

 

[BloomingStrella]

I am proud of them, as if my body was a canvas and the razors are my paint brush. I have to admit, though, it's quite embarrassing to have to explain to other people why my body looks the way it does. I'm kind of a freak of nature anyway, so I don't think other people care enough to actually try and convince me to stop. It's a nice reminder that life is a constant cycle of suffering and misery.

 

[woh6]

I have a scar from a head injury, and one on my hand from when I accidentally poured some burning plastic on me. I'm neutral on those, I don't really mind them and you can't easily notice it.
I have self-harm scars on my legs and upper arm, it's been a long time since I made them. I used to like them because they were a reflection of my negative feelings, which I couldn't express, however now I'm insecure about them. I always get asked questions.

 

[stainedtips]

Can I ask why you chose your knee? Was it one of those "red mist" kind of situations? Or something else? I used to tattoo myself for SH and now im completely stuck with numerous shitty pieces of ink. I suppose you could blame it on a fall, if that helps at all? I don't want to push you into answering or make you feel uncomfortable, so feel free to tell me to fuck off

Dont worry, I'm comfortable answering any questions. I chose my knee because I figured somewhere with less flesh would be less painful than, say, my thigh. I didn't harm for pain or anything, I don't know how to explain it but it helped to kind of alleviate stress. I liked seeing the lines being drawn on my skin. Also it was winter so I wouldn't have any reason to show my knees, of course I didn't think about the summer to come.

And I can't blame it on a fall, it's a group of slashes so it would look like a very weird and symmetrical scrape lolol

 

[sadstuffie]

i like mine. mine are on my legs, i don't do many activities where they would ever be showing so i really don't care. once, i was wearing a dress at the dentist & you could see them when i laid in the chair, but they never said anything which was nice.

 

[moya117]

I love mine, since most of the time, idc how people view me as, the scars just validate what I'm feeling and I'm attached to it, hoping that they wouldn't disappear or heal

 

[landmine]

i don't like mine very much .. they make me feel ugly .. ; __ ;
though i keep doing it and make more ugly scars

 

[thatguyakira123]

I use to cut. Didn't care about the scars back then, don't even now.

 

[bijou]

i personally don't care about them, but i see the way others stare and that makes me care about them

 

[day]

I have a love/hate relationship with my scars. At times I feel it shows I was strong enough to continue going and then other times it makes me feel like I have horrible ways of dealing with my problems. Either way I'd say over all I like them more than hate them.

 

[LunarPyotr]

Have a big scar on my leg from my suicide attempt, after I crashed my motorcycle and I feel anxious when it comes to it.
When I wear short pants, I always choose ones that go a bit bellow my knee.
That's actually one of the reasons why I don't go to pools anymore and say that I'm busy with work when my close friends invite me to any pools or fitness centers.
I don't know why but I'm just afraid people will judge me because of them and that they look ugly as af.

 

[Duality]

I don't care about them anymore. If someone asks what happened I always tell them it was from an accident, or an animal attack. No one questions my answer.