Why is self-harm so addictive?

This is more of a scientific answer... when you are injured, you brain releases a bunch of dopamine (Happiness hormone) to compensate for the pain. It becomes like a distraction from the mental pain that a self harmer goes through, and therefore a crutch. A fall back system that they can easily lean on when they are not feeling happy and need an instant dopamine boost. Like anything though, it wears off and then you're just left with a bunch of nasty scars. It's a slippery slope, if it's not too late for you get help immediately. I can't express this enough.

Speaking from personal experience, I feel as though self-harm is especially addictive because we become so accustomed to feeling something other than the emotional or psychological pain we have been experiencing. I faced depression for 7 years and I used to self-harm because I wanted to experience anything but the emotional trauma. Even though it was very addictive, I also tried my best to stop and have managed to do so for almost 3 years now! :)

Generally it is not the action itself that is addictive, what is addictive is the feeling of relief that comes with it.

***possible trigger warning*** Self harm releases endorphins just like any other time you feel pain. These hormones are natural opiates and work to ease the pain. Opium is an addictive drug that functions very similarly to endorphins. I have experience with self harm addiction. You don't need to be hooked on a drug to have an addiction. I sometimes cut just to cut, even if nothing bad has happened- that's the addiction. My body is craving the endorphins.

It releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel better. The next time you feel bad, your brain remembers how it felt and craves those same endorphins.

everyone deals with stress and upset in many different ways, some do drugs, some smoke, some exercise and some self harm, people who self harm want to 'punish' themselves and think they are a bad person. Some do it because it takes the pain away from where it hurts and makes them concentrate on something else.. and some people deal with it in this way.. Think of your emotions like a bottle of water, the fuller it gets the more the lid wants to pop off, if you cut it the water leaks out and its not struggling.. some people think of it like this, everyones different. try finding new ways to cope with stress. keep strong

By deliberately hurting their bodies, people often say they can change their state of mind so that they can cope better with ‘other’ pain they are feeling. They may be using physical pain as a way of distracting themselves from emotional pain. Others are conscious of a sense of release. For some, especially those who feel emotionally scarred, it may be a way to ‘wake up’ in situations where they are so numb they can’t feel anything. Overall, self-harm is a way of dealing with intense emotional pain. Self-harm has a huge impact on the day-to-day life of those who do

Self-harm, cutting, burning, ect, is a way many people find to have instant gratification. It lets you feel a physical pain so you won't have to feel the more agonizing emotional pain.

It gives control. Mental pain hurts more than physical pain, so we cut so the pain is anywhere but our minds.

Typically, the pain momentarily distracts people from other problems. Take my advice, throw away the razors and lighters and just get a rubber band. And possibly some cheesecake. That and a therapist.

One theory is that, as with any other pain, the body responds to the pain induced by the self harm by releasing a rush of its natural pain-killing ‘feel good’ hormones, endorphins. This together with the powerful symbolic meanings can lead to a very addictive habit.

Self-harm is addicted because of the immediate sense of relief it provides to someone who does it. When a person is in the mindset of wanting to self-harm, there is a high level of stress, anxiety, or depression; much the same way that someone who smokes cigarettes smokes and feels instant relief, someone who injures themselves feels an immediate sense of relief. This is instant, and the next time the feelings arise the person knows what worked last time, and they go back to it.

it's like a drug. it helps you not feel something, and the thing you crave about it is "the numbing of the thing you don't want to feel".

It can be addictive in that sence that one can controle ones pain on the outside instead of just hurting on the inside.

I'm not sure... I have the same problem... but.. idk I've tried to stop so many times and it never works

Self harm is addictive because it is like a way out of pain. When someone self harms they feel a great wave of relief and the like the feeling, they love it. Its like a drug to them. The same way that people take drugs. Because they like the feeling. For people that self harm they feel like their way of releasing anger is thr gh pain. Because the ohysucal pain takes away their emotional pain.

I began self-harming when I was first bullied six years ago. During teens, when others try to bring you down in ways that are horrendous such as bullying, you are prone to feel worthless. Once you begin harming yourself, you reach a mental saturation where you see no way out of it. You have to keep doing it. Through pain, you feel that your innerself heals. Instead, it's a temporary refuge from life reality. This addiction can be cured if treated sooner than later. Therapies and sessions can help people suffering from self harm issues. I am on my way to heal myself, too. :)

It seems to be so addictive because in the moment that you do so it seems like everything else is little and you can just focus on that for the time. It also feels like you are finally doing something that you deserve and thinking back that is really sad because you don't deserve that, you deserve so much more and to be happy.

It gives you a sense of control over what is happened. Control that you can not usually receive throughout life.

From personal experiences, I believe self-harm is a way of releasing all of the stored anger and pain through wounds. Finding someone to talk to about your concerns can be just as helpful!