Does cutting for only a few months and stopping make me any less of a self-harmer?

No. And that's the honest truth. If you have not gotten help from a therapist or a counselor because of cutting, the problem has not been solved and it will not go away unless you have received help. Sometimes that is the only way to treat such an issue. If you have self harmed at any point in your life, you are a self harmed. The fact that you resorted to self harm means you are more likely to do it again should the occasion arise. Months, also, is a long period of time to be cutting. Both the physical and mental scars will stick with you from that experience from a long time. And if cutting gave you any sort of relief before, that means you're likely to cut again it something similar sparks the feeling that makes you want to cut. But you don't have to. You can say no to self harm, and remind your future self that self harm is not the answer because it can cause psychological problems as well as physical problems down the road. But most importantly, talking to a professional will help you, and your past choices do not have to define your future choices.

the frequency, severity, consistency, or way in which you self-harm has absolutely nothing to do with your validity. if you have intentionally hurt yourself, you have self-harmed, and I recommend you to seek professional help (if you haven't already) in order to figure out some healthy coping mechanisms and/or the underlying causes behind your self-harm. you are valid, and deserve health and support just as much as anyone else who has self-harmed!

I don't like labels. To me this means you have a tendency towards self harm and should be aware of potential triggers. Self harm doesn't/shouldn't define you. Finding ways to stop and divert your attention and energy into something positive you enjoy is a good way too see you are not your malady. New scars remind that in darkness we are our own worst enemy and sometimes we must fight ourselves, old scars weave a great tale of battles past and remind us we are warriors and great adventurer's who have stared into death many times and whispered, "not today".

Not at all. Regardless of any time frames, you still battled the urges to cut yourself. You still felt that need, gave into it even, but managed to pull yourself out of that pattern. No matter how long it takes you to pull yourself out, you were still in that position and you are still valid. Someone who has cut once still battles the same demons as someone who's cut themselves a thousand times, you are not invalidated by the time it took you to get help or to help yourself. Self-harm is a battle, and it is never "more" or "less"

Whether you have been cutting for 1 day or 10 years does not matter. What matters is how you view the behavior and how you manage it. Comparing your self-harm to another person's self harm can lead into competitive behavior in some cases. What is important is to know that your experience is valid and there is a great community here at 7-cups to help support you. Also congratulations on stopping this behavior. From personal experience self-harming can be very addictive and hard to stop. So for you to be able to keep yourself from engaging in self-harm is a huge accomplishment and I hope you see that strength in yourself! :)

The moment you made your first cut you are considered a self harmer. If you stopped then that is good because its a bad habit. Cutting for those few months was a choice you made because it seemed to be the best way to cope. As long as you don't fall under the temptation to cut again, you're good. From personal experience, i have done the same and I have stopped. The urges do come from time to time but all you have to do is stay strong and ignore it. Surround yourself with good people that make you happy and ignore all negative thoughts. Let the positivity flow!

No, it does not. Once you've inflict pain or harmed yourself on purpose, that makes you a self harmer. It doesn't matter how long you do it once you've done it for, self harm is self harm. But it's good that you're trying to stop it and get through it. Your past doesn't define your future. We all have definitely made some mistakes in the past, did somethings we regret doing. But the past just prepares you for the future. It teaches you lessons and helps strengthen you. You're a warrior and what you're scars are prove of it. If youre broken you don't have to stay broken. You're perfect just the way you are, stay strong.

No, it really doesn't. Self-harm means purposely inflicting pain on yourself. People self harm because they are coping with a mental illness and inflicting pain actually leads to the release of dopamine (happiness chemicals) in your brain, which can lead to you feeling better. Self-harm could come from wanting to feel that addicting rush of dopamine, or it could come from the feeling of worthlessness, uselessness, and suicidal thoughts. Cutting is the most well-known version. A few months of continuous self harm isn't any better than longer. Harming yourself is a very unhealthy coping mechanism for mental illness and it comes from mental illness no matter how long you harm yourself for. It doesn't matter how long you harm yourself for. Inflicting pain upon yourself makes you a self-harmer.

When people go through the experience of self-harming, in my eyes no one is more or less of something based on how often or how long they have done the habit. There is no black and white line stating that you are now healed from self harming. Instead its a grey continuum, where you progress through life on a journey of sorts. Some people self harm once, and experience urges for years afterward without doing the act. Others self harm on and off for a while. Both are struggling, and I think that's all that really matters. "Self-harmer" is not a badge of honor to wear, but rather a sign that you're struggling, and yes it can be taken off at some points in our lives.

I do not feel that anyone is more or less of a self-harmer. There is a very toxic idea out there that there are "real" cutters and "fake" cutters." If you were able to stop, that's awesome. However, being able to stop does not mean the pain that led you to self-harm was fake or less valid than someone else's. It may simply mean that while someone else became addicted to the destructive coping mechanism or perhaps simply was unable to find a more effective and healthier way to cope, you found other ways to manage your feelings and were able to stop. If you do ever think about self-harming again, I hope you will reach out to someone for support.