Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Is it still considered cutting if I just use a safety pin to scratch the surface and no blood?

26 Answers
Last Updated: 02/16/2021 at 8:54am
Perfect therapy for people who need help. I would like to say, I never can imagine it could be possible to heal people like that
Ta Tania
5 star rating
Moderated by

Jennifer Fritz, LMSW, PhD

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

Day to day life can be stressful and overwhelming and my strength is assisting my clients in a supportive, empowering and practical manner.

Top Rated Answers
neverletlifetakeyourspark
May 9th, 2015 3:12am
Yes. You are tearing apart your skin still. Sweetie, it might not seem like you are doing any real harm, but you are. Self-harm is horrible. Please try to stop. I know that I don't your story or anything, and I can't tell you how to live your life, but I can give you advice. I went down that road before, and type of self-harm, big or small, is bad. It becomes addicting whether you want it to or not. Please stop. For those we love you, for me, and most importantly, yourself. You don't need to be doing this. Whatever is bothering you right now, wont matter in a few years. Yes, bad things will happen, but you don't need to do bad things to yourself in return. You are dealing with enough, don't add on more problems. If you feel like you want to hurt to hurt yourself, talk to someone about it. Work through your feelings. You are not alone, darling. People care about you. I care about you. Stay strong
xxarrowparadisexx
May 17th, 2015 6:34am
I am not sure if you can count that as cutting but it still counts as self harm which is just as serious! Self harm is any way of inflicting pain or injury in yourself on purpose. It doesn't matter if there is blood or not.
source6
May 10th, 2015 5:24pm
Yes, because it is still the act of wanting to 'hurt' yourself, and that is the whole idea behind why cutting is self-harm.
peacefulmusic
August 25th, 2015 12:40pm
yes if you hurt yourself in anyway it is self harm not cutting but it is self harm
KittensAndAshley
May 24th, 2016 6:32pm
Yes, it is still considered a form of self harm that can be dangerous to you. While there may be no blood it can still scar the skin tissue
dkotabarrios
April 4th, 2015 6:53pm
It isn't considered cutting, but it is considered self mutilation. Cutting is specific to making cuts on the skin but self mutilation refers to anything that would be self harming.
ShadowMirge
February 26th, 2018 4:28am
it is. cutting or not cutting depends on the intention. if you do it with a safety pin with the intention to cut, then it's cutting, in my opinion. try to change the drive into something else, something more positive... maybe finding a hobby will help ?
Anonymous
January 18th, 2016 5:45am
It may not literally be cutting but it is still self-injury. Self-injury is a coping mechanism many people mistake as suicidal behavior. Self-injury can be positive in that the chances of suicide are less likely however.
MsWhite
July 19th, 2016 12:04pm
It might not be considered cutting, but it's definitely self harm. Please don't do it. Love yourself. If you don't love your own self, who will? Before going out telling people you love them, or telling anybody else you love them, love your own self. Your body is a temple.
AskingAriel
April 16th, 2015 3:47pm
It is still self harm. Any way of harming yourself, is self harm. Whether it's burning, scratching, cutting, bruising, it's all self harm.
Anonymous
September 5th, 2016 3:25pm
This is still self harm. It's called scratching, and is not technically cutting. It is still unhealthy, as hurting yourself can negatively affect your mental health and you may become addicted to the feeling it gives you, or you may feel the need to raise the severity and start to scratch deeper until you are cutting yourself. Cutting is very dangerous, as many deaths occur when cutters cut too deep and accidentally sever an artery, which will result in a very long and painful death. It is not cutting, but could lead to dangerous effects.
Anonymous
October 31st, 2017 8:28pm
I wouldn't define it as cutting but it is most definitely self-harming. It's addictive, i started off with scratching and pinching, ended up giving myself 3rd degree burns twice in the same place on my leg and also cutting my legs and upper arms. If you are self-harming, please reach out to someone...anyone, a friend a doctor or a therapist. Self harming covers up your emotions, if you want to stop self-harming or just want advice then please reach out.
listenin06
September 15th, 2015 2:06am
any way of self harming is bad , try to find a new way to deal with things , something better will always come
Anonymous
July 19th, 2016 9:05pm
What you just described is a form of self-harm. While it may not be described as "cutting", it still is a form of self-harm, and I urge you to see a medical professional, before this becomes any worse.
RelaxedPanda
February 16th, 2021 8:54am
It is self-harm, which means you are dealing with emotions that need to be processed healthy in a not constructive way. Self-harm is not always just cutting (people harm themselves also emotionally, or with overeating and opposite, not eating..) and everytime it comes to similar actions, it is a good idea to consider professional help. Also you can feel free to contact any listener here and read our self-harm guide. Also it can be very helpful to just write down all your emotions you are feeling that you need to relieve with pain. Keeping a diary and write your feelings down is an effective way to feel better.
Anonymous
July 25th, 2016 5:18pm
Yes. Self harm can very from severe gashes, to mere scratches. The definition of cutting is to make an incision in one's own flesh, as a symptom of emotional distress. That being said, scratching is another way of self harm...so you're not exactly cutting, but scratching. By asking this question, it makes me wonder if you're trying to self harm just so you an say you self harm. Of course, I am more than likely wrong, so I apologize for making assumptions. To answer your question, yes.
EmpatheticFANDRAGON
May 22nd, 2017 3:22am
Yes. Something I find helps is to squeeze an ice cube in your fist and doodle wherever you want to cut. Use nontoxic markers, we don't want you to get ink poisoning!
calmingcloud133
July 9th, 2018 12:16am
Most people would. Overall, this is still classified as self harm. We have lots of resources on this website that can help you out.
Jxlr123
December 3rd, 2018 11:32pm
Any kind of self inflicted injury classifies as self harm. The Term is not the important part You should be defining this action by. The fact is, this is still a method of self harm as long as the negative mental attitude is supplied that way towards the action you are describing. Self harm is a serious issue that should be discussed with a professional if that is possible. I think you should also think to yourself why the term is an important word to you, to me, this shows a hidden understanding of the depth of your actions.
bubblyFaith17
September 30th, 2019 4:34am
I'm sorry you're having these thoughts of any self harm, even if it is "just" a "scratch". Any form of self harm is scary and for me, although I felt some relief, I had to learn to distract myself and not try to justify what I was doing by words like, "Well, it's just a scratch" or "But there was no blood". I have found in my lifetime that it is SUPER easy to justify things to myself if I think about it long enough and word it to myself in just the right way....but I also know I am not really fooling myself.
JoyfulForestRain
March 25th, 2016 7:28pm
Yes, because you're still intentionally trying to harm yourself.
theflyingtoaster
September 15th, 2015 3:24pm
Yes. Cutting is actually self harm, and any harm you inflict upon your self is self harm. It does not matter if you are using a knife, a blade, or a tiny safety pin.
Anonymous
July 11th, 2016 11:42pm
Please do not use anything. Cutting or any form of harming yourself is a bad solution to anything. You deserve better than that
jakfullofwandering
September 5th, 2016 4:40pm
Yes. Any form of self harm is still considered "cutting". The reasons you do this are the same reasons for any other form of self harm.
Anonymous
December 5th, 2017 2:17pm
yes it is still cutting and this is still self-harm. Maybe there is no blood, but that is not changing the fact that you are hurting yourself.
Anonymous
August 11th, 2015 12:18pm
Whether its cutting is debatable, i guess. but more importantly it is certainly a form of self harm.