Discussion Is this form of self harm weird?

[nopurposeinanything]

I know this is a form of self harm obviously, but it still feels stupid. Yesterday, I got spiked in the face with a volleyball. I have glasses so it created a small bruise on the side of my nose. A few hours later after it happened and I saw the bruise, I just got the urge to get an even worse bruise. I got my phone and started beating my eye (directly under it) until it started to bruise. I wasn't sure if that really was gonna do anything but once I looked, it was starting to get a bit irritated so that fueled me on more. I kept hitting under my eye until it bruised pretty badly. Now, fast forward to today, I cant stop hitting myself with solid items. Literally anything random. I use the bathroom? I hit my eye with the air freshener. Im in the shower? I hit my eye with the shampoo bottle. The pain honestly isnt much to me at all that im not really doing it for the pain, im doing it for the bruise—for the looks of it.

 

[imontheloose]

Not exactly SH to me. I really only consider SH to be intentional harm committed to oneself with the goal of inflicting harm/pain. If your goal isn't to inflict pain, then I wouldn't really call it SH. Again, this is my own useless definition of SH just like everyone else's. I don't think it's weird. There's people who masturbate whilst hanging themselves, I'd call that pretty weird.

 

[GroundControl]

This is self harm by dictionary definition. Self harm is the act of causing oneself harm. Harm can mean pain, or mental damage, or physical damage. Bruising is physical damage. Even if you are intending for the look of it, it's still actively hurting yourself.

(I know your first line says you understand this is self harm, but the previous response ticked me off and I didn't want you to feel invalidated)

Onto your question: I guess self harm, to mentally healthy individuals, would be inherently weird. But bruising yourself isn't an uncommon form of self harm. You are not alone.

 

[fedup1982]

I feel bad, the way you wrote it made me chuckle even though I have every sympathy for people who self harm but yes I agree it's definitely self harm. Be kind to yourself. It's definitely worth seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist about this

 

[nopurposeinanything]

This is self harm by dictionary definition. Self harm is the act of causing oneself harm. Harm can mean pain, or mental damage, or physical damage. Bruising is physical damage. Even if you are intending for the look of it, it's still actively hurting yourself.

(I know your first line says you understand this is self harm, but the previous response ticked me off and I didn't want you to feel invalidated)

Onto your question: I guess self harm, to mentally healthy individuals, would be inherently weird. But bruising yourself isn't an uncommon form of self harm. You are not alone.

thanks, the previous response rubbed me the wrong way too.

 

[violetforever]

well i hit myself until i bruise with a shoe. i think all self harm can be classified as weird anyways. i do it for the satisfaction of seeing myself bruised too but its mostly about pain and coping with distress. i notice when the bruises fade i dont last long without wanting to make new ones.

 

[joey2424]

This is self harm by dictionary definition. Self harm is the act of causing oneself harm. Harm can mean pain, or mental damage, or physical damage. Bruising is physical damage. Even if you are intending for the look of it, it's still actively hurting yourself.

(I know your first line says you understand this is self harm, but the previous response ticked me off and I didn't want you to feel invalidated)

Onto your question: I guess self harm, to mentally healthy individuals, would be inherently weird. But bruising yourself isn't an uncommon form of self harm. You are not alone.

Ya I just want to reiterate this response. It is self harm. And it's not weird, but if you're hurting and you're able to seek help, then please do that. I'm sure the earlier you intervene on this kind of instinct, the better.

 

[ConfusedClouds]

I also poke/prod existing wounds or bruises or soreness to help ground myself. The sensation of feeling 'something' is comforting/reassuring to me. I don't often deliberately create the injuries in recent times, but I'm pretty outdoorsy and active and sporty so have often got something healing.

 

[pax420]

Ground control said it best and it pissed me off too. But like imontheloose also said "that's his/her own useless definition of sh". Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. But I don't consider other peoples opinions or ideas or thoughts weird, just other people's stuff. I used to sh by bashing my head into walls or door jams, not to harm or hurt myself, just to feel something, anything. I used to cut myself and watch the blood run down my arms into the ground as a way to relieve pressure and feel good, not to harm or hurt myself. They have a name for hanging oneself and masturbating, it's called auto-eroticism(sorry about that he spelling if it's wrong). I don't do that but I don't think it's weird either. Just some other peoples thing.