Side effects of cutting

[Roseate]

What do you feel when or after cutting? I am sure there are side effects.

 

[PinkChubbyBunny]

If you are talking about cutting as a way of ctb, besides the pain if you didn't anesthetise the area of the cut, you'll experience the symptoms of blood loss. Increased heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating and general weakened state. You may experience anxiety, but that depends on your mindset. Eventually you'll pass out and mount the bus in an unconscious state.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

When I used to cut I would always start to feel relieved afterwards. Sometimes I'd feel a bit jittery, but most of the time I would find myself feeling a bit better. The feelings were temporary though and it wouldn't be too long before I went back to feeling like shit.

 

[Chaosire]

I generally feel better after. I haven't been able to do it for quite a while, because the wards I was at were pretty strict. So I'm really enjoying finally being able to do it again.
I also have a whole self care ritual after as I disinfect it and bandage myself up. Which is sometimes even meditative than the sh itself.

 

[nomoredolor]

What do you feel when or after cutting? I am sure there are side effects.

I feel like I can finally fucking take a breath. I love the feeling of the blood on me. I wanted to cut my wrist area but didn't want it to be visible in public. So I cut my thigh and rubbed the blood on my wrist. It was so intoxicating to see my wrist bloodied that I moaned. Like it's almost sexual but not quite. I sometimes cut into the same cut to make it hurt more (but this can cause scarring.)

The aftercare is also therapeutic to take the time to clean, bandage and put ointment on the cuts.

If I made a lot of cuts they sometimes take longer to heal and I feel more rundown because my body's immune system resources are going toward healing the cuts. Sometimes I need more sleep.

I've only had cuts get infected once. It was recent. I was in a rushed frenzy and didn't use a clean blade like I usually do. And it's under my boob area where there is a lot of sweat and not enough air. It's healing better now after antibiotics.

Long term side effects: I didn't get deep ones stitched like I should have and I have permanent nerve damage in my thighs and left hand. The older I get (I'm 31) the more my body tends to scar.

 

[sweetcreep]

it can be complicated. the reason and experience is different for everyone.


for me, it can be a bit conflicting. i cut to punish myself, to atone for the guilt that i feel for some things that are hard to articulate. i do it because i believe i deserve to be punished and to feel pain.

before cutting:

mentally- a lot of stress. repeating thoughts and images of me doing it. fixated on it unless i am constantly distracting myself. one moment of silence and doing nothing, and the thoughts are overwhelming. i want to do it, i need to, i have to.​

emotionally- unstable. spiraling. angry or upset, probably crying. higher chance of giving in to risky and unsafe behavior.​

physically- tense. feels like an itch under my skin that i need to dig into. also feeling disconnected from my body.​

​

while cutting:

mentally- my mind feels still. finally. all my attention is on the pain, on the way i'm holding the blade, the pressure i'm putting down, how long and deep i cut. i keep cutting until my mind feels blank or i run out of space. i am receiving the pain and the punishment i deserve, things will be ok now.​

emotionally- a lot calmer. sometimes almost numb. relief. a strange and tiny spark of joy, or perhaps satisfaction.​

physically- all i can feel is the blade and the stinging soreness it leaves behind. i feel grounded to my physical vessel again.​

after cutting:

mentally- a bit easier to concentrate. no longer fixating on self-harming. super high chance of ignoring aftercare of wounds and just going about tasks like normal.​

emotionally- guilt again, but this time because i feel bad about the self-inflicted wounds. a lot of regret. feelings of being incompetent or damaged and broken. but i no longer feel overwhelmed by the negative emotions.​

physically- i feel almost better. obviously i'm in pain, but one that is manageable and treatable. one that i can control. and at times, the pain feels good. justified.​

that is how i experience it. the more i give into the feeling, the easier it is for me to cut the next time. it is not something that i want for myself or for anyone.


stay safe and take care i hope my personal experiences helped answer your questions. feel free to ask for clarification about anything.

 

[Roseate]

When I used to cut I would always start to feel relieved afterwards. Sometimes I'd feel a bit jittery, but most of the time I would find myself feeling a bit better. The feelings were temporary though and it wouldn't be too long before I went back to feeling like shit.

I meant like for example, I usually feel nauseous the next day, a bit dizzy or lightheaded. Those are what I meant by side effects, like the negative physical effects of cutting. Now necessarily how it makes you feel to cut.

I generally feel better after. I haven't been able to do it for quite a while, because the wards I was at were pretty strict. So I'm really enjoying finally being able to do it again.
I also have a whole self care ritual after as I disinfect it and bandage myself up. Which is sometimes even meditative than the sh itself.

I feel like I can finally fucking take a breath. I love the feeling of the blood on me. I wanted to cut my wrist area but didn't want it to be visible in public. So I cut my thigh and rubbed the blood on my wrist. It was so intoxicating to see my wrist bloodied that I moaned. Like it's almost sexual but not quite. I sometimes cut into the same cut to make it hurt more (but this can cause scarring.)

The aftercare is also therapeutic to take the time to clean, bandage and put ointment on the cuts.

If I made a lot of cuts they sometimes take longer to heal and I feel more rundown because my body's immune system resources are going toward healing the cuts. Sometimes I need more sleep.

I've only had cuts get infected once. It was recent. I was in a rushed frenzy and didn't use a clean blade like I usually do. And it's under my boob area where there is a lot of sweat and not enough air. It's healing better now after antibiotics.

Long term side effects: I didn't get deep ones stitched like I should have and I have permanent nerve damage in my thighs and left hand. The older I get (I'm 31) the more my body tends to scar.

it can be complicated. the reason and experience is different for everyone.


for me, it can be a bit conflicting. i cut to punish myself, to atone for the guilt that i feel for some things that are hard to articulate. i do it because i believe i deserve to be punished and to feel pain.

before cutting:

mentally- a lot of stress. repeating thoughts and images of me doing it. fixated on it unless i am constantly distracting myself. one moment of silence and doing nothing, and the thoughts are overwhelming. i want to do it, i need to, i have to.
emotionally- unstable. spiraling. angry or upset, probably crying. higher chance of giving in to risky and unsafe behavior.
physically- tense. feels like an itch under my skin that i need to dig into. also feeling disconnected from my body.​

​

while cutting:

mentally- my mind feels still. finally. all my attention is on the pain, on the way i'm holding the blade, the pressure i'm putting down, how long and deep i cut. i keep cutting until my mind feels blank or i run out of space. i am receiving the pain and the punishment i deserve, things will be ok now.

emotionally- a lot calmer. sometimes almost numb. relief. a strange and tiny spark of joy, or perhaps satisfaction.

physically- all i can feel is the blade and the stinging soreness it leaves behind. i feel grounded to my physical vessel again.​

after cutting:

mentally- a bit easier to concentrate. no longer fixating on self-harming. super high chance of ignoring aftercare of wounds and just going about tasks like normal.

emotionally- guilt again, but this time because i feel bad about the self-inflicted wounds. a lot of regret. feelings of being incompetent or damaged and broken. but i no longer feel overwhelmed by the negative emotions.

physically- i feel almost better. obviously i'm in pain, but one that is manageable and treatable. one that i can control. and at times, the pain feels good. justified.​

that is how i experience it. the more i give into the feeling, the easier it is for me to cut the next time. it is not something that i want for myself or for anyone.


stay safe and take care i hope my personal experiences helped answer your questions. feel free to ask for clarification about anything.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

I meant like for example, I usually feel nauseous the next day, a bit dizzy or lightheaded. Those are what I meant by side effects, like the negative physical effects of cutting. Now necessarily how it makes you feel to cut.

I've never felt dizzy or lightheaded after cutting, let alone nauseous. Outside of being in a bit of pain (obviously), I've never experienced anything else. How much blood are you losing, because I'm pretty sure you need to lose up to around 14-15% of your blood before you start feeling dizzy...

 

[supremelimbo]

I don't think my state of mind really changed before and after, but I keenly remember just enjoying the pain and being able to focus on that instead of whatever was going on in my head

 

[Roseate]

I've never felt dizzy or lightheaded after cutting, let alone nauseous. Outside of being in a bit of pain (obviously), I've never experienced anything else. How much blood are you losing, because I'm pretty sure you need to lose up to around 14-15% of your blood before you start feeling dizzy...

I cut deep enough to scar, but not enough to hit the vein, and I cut close to my wrist and multiple times at once deep enough. Like 5 in a row, and sometimes it's still bleeding the next day, but I don't think that's deep enough or anything. When I cut my wrist, instant nausea and dizziness. But I usually do multiple cuts that are sorta deep.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

I cut deep enough to scar, but not enough to hit the vein, and I cut close to my wrist and multiple times at once deep enough. Like 5 in a row, and sometimes it's still bleeding the next day, but I don't think that's deep enough or anything. When I cut my wrist, instant nausea and dizziness. But I usually do multiple cuts that are sorta deep.

Deep enough to scar but to not enough to hit a vein is a kind of a vague description. Are you hitting the dermis layer/styro, the fat ler/hypodermis layer/beans, the fascia, or the the muscle layer?



I wonder if the effects you are feeling are more psychological rather than physiological.

 

[Roseate]

Deep enough to scar but to not enough to hit a vein is a kind of a vague description. Are you hitting the dermis layer/styro, the fat ler/hypodermis layer/beans, the fascia, or the the muscle layer?

View attachment 153442

I wonder if the effects you are feeling are more psychological rather than physiological.

Idk, I usually feel great when I do it. It's usually the next day I'll feel sick, but usually when I cut, I also go hours without drinking water or eating. Also, I feel like it's important to note that whenever I get test done, it's usually hard for them to draw blood from me. Psychologically I feel tired but then I also get the physical effects. However, it wasn't always like that but I've been cutting for years now. 9-10 years.

 

[sweetcreep]

I meant like for example, I usually feel nauseous the next day, a bit dizzy or lightheaded. Those are what I meant by side effects, like the negative physical effects of cutting. Now necessarily how it makes you feel to cut.

sounds like it's other underlying issues that are giving you these symptoms, not the actual act of self-harm. not drinking water and not eating after sustaining an injury will definitely make you feel like how you're describing. to me, it seems like you need to prioritize the aftercare if your goal is to ease these symptoms.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

Idk, I usually feel great when I do it. It's usually the next day I'll feel sick, but usually when I cut, I also go hours without drinking water or eating. Also, I feel like it's important to note that whenever I get test done, it's usually hard for them to draw blood from me. Psychologically I feel tired but then I also get the physical effects. However, it wasn't always like that but I've been cutting for years now. 9-10 years.

It being hard for them to draw blood from you likely has nothing to do with you SHing. Your body is able to replenish your blood levels. I doubt that you are losing so much blood each time you cut that your body is unable to keep up.

The nausea and dizziness you feel probably have more to do with you not eating or drinking for hours on end, rather than it really having anything to do with blood loss. That's my guess anyway (I'm not a medical professional).

 

[Roseate]

sounds like it's other underlying issues that are giving you these symptoms, not the actual act of self-harm. not drinking water and not eating after sustaining an injury will definitely make you feel like how you're describing. to me, it seems like you need to prioritize the aftercare if your goal is to ease these symptoms.

What's the point of aftercare? No offense but that defeats the purpose of cutting. I don't do it just to do it. I obviously want the pain that comes with it. It's too late too, I already have deep scars. And could definitely be. Either way, it's a win-win. I've never gotten any infection with no aftercare but if it happens then oh well easy death.
S

It being hard for them to draw blood from you likely has nothing to do with you SHing. Your body is able to replenish your blood levels. I doubt that you are losing so much blood each time you cut that your body is unable to keep up.

The nausea and dizziness you feel probably have more to do with you not eating or drinking for hours on end, rather than it really having anything to do with blood loss. That's my guess anyway (I'm not a medical professional).

so I'm the only one that feels it after? Hmm you guys don't even feel cold after like inside?

 

[sweetcreep]

What's the point of aftercare? No offense but that defeats the purpose of cutting. I don't do it just to do it. I obviously want the pain that comes with it. It's too late too, I already have deep scars. And could definitely be. Either way, it's a win-win. I've never gotten any infection with no aftercare but if it happens then oh well easy death.

everyone who self-harms has their own reasons and methods. i try to promote safety, but at the end of the day you make that choice. if your goal is to do as much damage as possible with no care to infections or other health risks, then you don't have to take any of my advice. but from your posts, i had assumed you were concerned about the aftereffects that you were dealing with. if that's not the case, then you can probably keep going on as you are. good luck apologies if i had upset you by something i said.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

so I'm the only one that feels it after? Hmm you guys don't even feel cold after like inside?

Nope