I harm myself on purpose. I never do it because I need to cope, I do it because I like the pain and like to have something on my body. I know I should stop, but I don't want to. Why is that?

everyone is different especially when it comets self harm. Some do it for pain release, some do it for the colour, some do it because they like the look of scars and some, like you, like it because of the pain. Because everyone is so different in this sense, you can only ask yourself why because nobody knows you better than you. Even if you can't think of an answer straight away, eventually it will come to you.

you should try to stop mostly because it is not good for you body but I think you do it because you feel like if you are "sick" your family or friends will pay attention to you and understand you need help

honestly, i'm the same. I have no idea, a doctor would say something technical but it doesn't feel that way. Personally I try and keep myself busy, surrounded by tasks which does work. I do get the occasional tattoo. Message me if you would like some-one to talk to about this :)

Your addicted to the pain, and you have found pleasure out of it. There are safer alternatives to this like the pain of a rubber band snapped to your wrist may help.

You don't want to stop because you got used to it. It feels like pain is making you feel or is giving a sign that you are still alive in this world. It is like a drug that if you use it too much, you will get addicted and will continue to use it again and again because it gives you pleasure. I've been there. And I know that someday you will realize your own worth. I know it is hard to stop but trust me, you will get through it because I believe in you, WE believe in you. If I was able to let go then you can do it too, you just need to escape from darkness and reach for the light. You can only save yourself because it's your own battlefield. We are only here to guide you along the way.

When we end up giving in to self-harm, sometimes it becomes a subconscious habit. It buries itself in our brains and becomes our preferred method of coping. And if we let it gain too much power over us, it may become an addiction. Addictions are very difficult to give up. But not impossible. You reached out, which means you care about getting better. You obviously care enough to want to do something. That's your first step. It's okay to talk about it. It's okay that you reached out. And most importantly, you will be okay. If you need someone to talk to about it, I'm here. I want to help you through it, and I can refer you to good coping methods for that issue specifically.

Well, you need to question yourself that when did you start harming yourself?Rewind into your past, and find out what compelled you to harm yourself. And then see, if the reason is worth harming your beautiful body and soul. because each time you hurt yourself, the scar is not left on the body alone, but also on your soil. Maybe, you don't want to stop it because your body has become used to the pain and you have develpoed a habit. Habits, are difficult to overcome but ofcourse not impossible :) Finding alternatives to keep yourself distracted might help! and you are saying you like something on your body, why noy the good things? for eg tattoos, or jewellery or whatever that pleases you

Sometimes, I feel that we mark ourselves because we want recognition, not from other people but from ourselves. It’s like our minds way of recognising that we’re not okay but in a visual way. We don’t want to stop because then we no longer have physical evidence of our pain. Sometimes you gotta listen to your head before you act. Think about the thought you have before every time you feel like self harming, write your thought down on a piece of paper and throw it away, keep distracted. The mind will always be more powerful than a blade, remember that.

First of all- Thank you for your honesty and sharing this with us at 7cups. Like you said, for some people this is a coping mechanism. This may or may not be true for you, but for some people self-harm is a way to externalize their pain inside and make their pain visible and controllable. I would suggest seeking help, even though you do not want to stop, because self-harm can be very dangerous to your health and safety. This may be a way to help you better understand what self-harm is doing for you and healthy ways to move forward.

There are lots of reasons why people engage in self harm, and they don't always make sense to us or those around us. Everything we do in our lives plays some role in the story of who we are, and we get some form of gain from it. Even things which we have classified as bad or unhelpful give us something. So when thinking about why you might be harming yourself, think about what might be happening beforehand, and how harming yourself changes how you're feeling. Then, think if there is anything else that might be able to fill that same role. Talking to a professional therapist might be a good way of unpacking what might be going on for you. Ultimately, you have demonstrated incredible insight in asking this question, and vulnerability in sharing this with our community. Well done you. Best of luck with your journey.