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?

The reason that you don't feel like stopping is because self-harm is an alternative coping method. Your mind sees the self-harm as something positive since it's giving a temporary release of all of your thoughts which makes you feel better. Self harm also releases endorphins in the brain just like any other time you feel pain. These hormones are natural opiates and work to ease the pain and makes you feel better - this is usually what gets people addicted and not able to stop.

Because you don't think you have better options. But you do. There's always a better option than hurting yourself.

I think you have a Low self esteem and are taking out your anger on yourself by hurting yourself. You should definitely consider consulting a professional Therapist. I completely understand what you’re going through because I have been through something very similar. Please do try to talk about it personally to someone. Trust me, it helps and is necessary for a recovery. You will get better, really. You just need to reach out to someone and realise that you’re not alone in this. We’re all here to help you and care for you. It’s amazing that you’re sharing your issue here !

Some people have an attraction or fascination with pain and marking one's body. This is often seen with people who get tattoos and piercings (not saying you have to like pain to get those, of course). Obviously it's not healthy to be harming yourself and you should seek help about that or attempt to replace it with safer substitute behaviors.

This is called addiction. You start doing something repeatedly because you enjoy it. Like drinking or smoking. And it is very difficult to get rid of such situations. You cannot stop even if you want to because you like doing it and you know no such method which can help you prevent this. You can put your agression and pain into other too then your body. Try scatching or drawing on a paper hard or writing your feelings out and then destroying it afterwards. Also try to calm yourself by meditating. You need to stop hurting your body. It will get you nowhere

Maybe because the pain from harming yourself is blocking pain from other events or situations. It helps you feel that nothing can make you feel pain other than harming yourself.

If you were to meet with a lot of people in my family or circle, you'd see that many of us have multiple tattoos. And its just that! Tattoos can be addictive in some ways. So I think for someone to enjoy that kind of pain, maybe you can channel it into a healthier outlet like tattoos. Otherwise I've noticed that enjoying hurting ourselves can stem from actual self-hate and are trying to find some way to feel.. well anything.. intensely. If that is the case with you, I'd recommend talking to one of the therapists here at 7 cups about how to feel your genuine emotions again!

I am not medically qualified to diagnose anyone and for that reason it would be best if you spoke to a health care professional. However it sounds like an obsessive compulsive disorder from the untrained eye. If you need to do something and cannot prevent yourself from doing so. Also liking the feeling of pain is worrying as to why you are doing this. There is always a reason behind self harm and it may be of benefit for you if you speak with a therapist to identify what your trigger was. If you know you should stop that is a good sign, maybe speak with your doctor about getting support.

I’m not a doctor to know the exact science, but as someone who self-harmed for many years, I feel like it has to do with the feeling you get as it happens. It’s almost like an adernaline burst, like it activates parts of your brain that bring you a quick and very temporary euphoria. If you dissociate, it also can be a harsh and harmful coping mechanism to “ground yourself”. It really could be a few things, probably. But regardless, you deserve to live a life where you are safe, even from yourself. ♡ Please always reach out for support because so many of us have been through this, there’s no judgement. ♡ And if you feel comfortable, seeking professional guidance would also be very beneficial!

When someone cuts themselves, it causes the brain to release a chemical. This chemical is called dopamine. Dopamine gives you a "feel good" rush that you can also get from food, music, s*x and drugs. It is an addicting chemical, so in result of this you can get addicted to cutting. You can get yourself to stop, by slowly replacing your cutting with something else that releases this chemical (but not drugs. Don't do drugs, kids). Luckily, this means that you can quit if you try to put in the effort that you need to to kick this habit.