Sunday, November 18, 2012

A joke to some, but not to all


This just so happened to appear on my timeline on Facebook and I found it impossible to ignore. I'm not sure if this was intended to be a "serious" post, but I found it to be quite serious. 

Everyday, there are people struggling with the need to cut themselves. Yes, it is a need. What most people don't realize is that cutting is an addiction. It is a sort of relief from mental stress and abuse. When someone feels so overcome with emotions, sometimes the only way to deal with them is through physical destruction. The girls in this picture probably don't know the kind of effect they could be having on people when they say things like this. 

As I read the comments on this picture, I was truly shocked. There were plenty of people saying that cutting is just a way for people to get attention. Some comments said that this person who cut needs help. Sometimes "help" does anything but make it better. What cutting addicts need is for people to listen and to support them.

When I was a cutter, I searched for people who would understand and who would listen to the reasons why. I found few, but those few made a difference to me. I quit cutting for a few years and, to this day, I still struggle with the addiction of cutting. Some days, all I want to do is cut, but I have to find a way to resist the urge. 

Most of the comments referred to these girls as "bitches" and "stupid hoes". Isn't this name calling just as bad as their name calling? Doing exactly what we detest in others is no way to make things right in the world. 

Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

We should really take his advice if we ever want to make a difference.