Is it true? **Trigger warning**

[Gwen'sMom]

Has anyone else read that Self Injurers don't actually want to kill themselves, just to be rid of the pain of life? My husband is terrified (although he won't admit it)that my cutting will one day lead to me slitting my wrists. I have told him that "yes, this is a possibility but I am in treatment. I am being treated by a Psychiatrist, am in a Christian support group and I am on medication. Is there anything else I can do to help him understand that I don't want to kill myself but just want to escape the pains of life?

 

[foxyfan]

I have heard about it but i would not know how to convince your husband have you tried have a good talk to him about this, i find it sometimes helps

 

[texannurse]

I have heard that before. And I guess it could lead to suicide because of an accidentally deep cut, but usually SI is not death oriented. I read about this in The Scarred Soul - a really great book about SI. It might be helpful for your husband to read it. It has a section in the back for friends and family members of SIers. I had a close friend read it and she said it really helped her understand. TN

 

[pockleberry]

I think it is a personal thing because there are some self harmers that do want to kill themselves. I have heard what you have yes but I have also heard that people who self harm are more likley to try and kill themselves than other people...Anyway I guess what people say isn't important the only thing you can do is just tell him how you feel...I know it's a different situation but I have found that with some people the more you talk to them about how you feel and stuff the less they worry about you

 

[ChristsDisciple]

I don't know how i randomly came into this topic, im new to this site and am here by acident! Anyway, i believe that people that self harm do so as a way of coping with things, rather than wanting to end thier lives. I think that they do it to help with how they are feeling, and so want to help themselves and are unsure of how to do it, so they turn to self harm. Rarely does self harming actually result in someone commiting suicide. Hope this helps a bit, xx

 

[Mr.Cheese]

It's very true. Most self-injurers who die weren't trying to kill themselves. Instead they wound up cutting something they shouldn't have.

Self-injury and suicide are different things.