Self-Abuse: The New-Age Anorexia

Someone is hurting our teens. And this time it isn't gangs, drugs or disease. A staggering number of American teenagers are deliberately hurting themselves - and even the experts can't agree why.

It's called self mutilation, the practice of cutting, burning or otherwise injuring one's own body. A form of self-directed abuse, researchers are puzzled at the growing number of young people who engage in this practice. It's estimated that one in two hundred teenaged girls are involved in some form of self mutilation. But sociologists admit we know very little about a disorder that may afflict as many as two million people in the United States alone.

To the outside world, it is often seen as a warning of suicide or as a method for seeking attention. But sociologists now believe that's not the case. They say teenaged girls who practice self mutilation view it as their secret, often a sacred one.

There are several forms of self-mutilation. And cutting appears to be the most common. The cutter uses a razor blade, knife or other sharp object to puncture the skin, often allowing it to bleed for several minutes. Burning, the practice of resting a lit cigarette, lighter, match or heated metal against the skin is also well documented among teens who self mutilate.

What drives these teens to abuse their own bodies? There are many theories, but only a few are widely accepted. Abuse in the past is seen as one possible psychological explanation, at least in some cases of self mutilation. Abuse can lead to feelings of self-hatred, worthlessness, abandonment, and anger. It's thought that when some individuals find themselves unable to express their feelings through other coping mechanisms, they may turn to self abuse as an outlet for their emotions.

Another widely held view is that some self abuse is prompted by a feeling of loss-of-control over a situation or relationship. Some self mutilators report feeling like their life is in the control of everyone but themselves. Cutting or burning is a way for them to express that they are still in control of something- the pain that they feel.

It's important to note that some stereotypical explanations for self-abuse are entirely false. Leading reseachers insist self mutilation is not a warning of suicide, nor is it a way to seek attention, or manipulate others. All of the current evidence suggests that most self-abusers want to live; they are simply acting out as a way of dealing with their emotions. The fact remains, self mutilation is rarely a warning of suicide. We know that among teens who cut or burn themselves, the vast majority keep it a secret from everyone - even close friends.

Understandably, this code of silence is one reason we know so little about what motivates people to direct so much harm upon themselves.

But we do know that within every self-abuser - there lies a secret- an untold story or unspoken feeling. It could be long and complex. Perhaps signalling a history of abuse as a child, or something as simple as feeling unloved.

No matter what the story, we've learned there's hope for young people who turn to self mutilation. As we strive to learn more about this silent plague, we're discovering that self abusers can find solace from their pain. But we know it takes time, love and compassion to truly help them heal.

Politics Factzone: The truth about Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il, the leader of the free world, has decided to move on to more fertile grounds, leaving with us just the memories of 8-color rainbows, singing Korean women and couple of nuclear weapons. But who was this man whose next ambition would have been to get the next Nobel Peace prize? Here are just a few facts you should know about. more Top 5 Conspiracy Theories Related to John F. Kennedy's Assassination 26.Aug 2011 Since just after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, conspiracy theories abou...read ISRAEL KEEPING GHADDAFI AFLOAT 10.Mar 2011 ...read Glen Beck Is NOT the Anti-Christ! 10.Mar 2011 Hurtful and fiery rhetoric is now media’s default setting! This slippery and m...read Recipe for A REVOLUTION! (10 easy steps - try not to get burned!) 28.Feb 2011 Rebellion is cooking in the air. People are mad as hell, and not going to take...read THE ASSANGE CASE. CIA INTERFERED WITH SWEDISH LEGAL PROCESSES EXTREME RIGHT POLITICS A DANGER TO EUROPEAN UNITY THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY. OUT OF TOUCH, OUT OF FOCUS, OUT OF CREDIBILITY AND HOPEFULLY, OUT OF THE DOOR Opinion World governments charged with criminal negligence (in response to Megaupload case) EARTH (thecheers.org) - Federal authorities of the universe have charged the governments of all the countries in the world as well as the operators actually in power in these countries with operating a criminal enterprise, the Galaxy warriors announced Today. more The Great OSCARS 2011 – or so it would seem 5.Mar 2011 So, how exciting......a morning off, the Academy Awards. I wish I could say the...read Top 7 Expensive Bordellos. Prostitution: Shakedown, Tier Down, and Priced Out 31.Jan 2011 According to a report of the Washington DC-based US Department of State, The Ph...read The Great Secret and Reason for the JFK Assassination 11.Oct 2010 The great question is why the great secret? On June 4 1963, President Kennedy s...read Don't Do it! The 3 Worst Times to Get Tattoos 4.Oct 2010 As a general rule, tattoos gotten after 2 am are a bad idea. But in a bigger pi...read

Travel Travel Warning 13 September 2010 - DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRAN 13.Sep 2010 TRAVELWISE has been watching the situation in Iran for some months in relation ...read more TRAVELWISE TRAVEL ADVISORY 5th June 2010. DO NOT TRAVEL TO ISRAEL. 5.Jun 2010 Given the recent incident whereby the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, used...read TRAVELWISE. 16 APRIL 2010. EUROPEAN TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES 16.Apr 2010 Travelwise issues the following advice in relation to cancelled flights to, fro...read TRAVELWISE 6 APRIL 2010. AUSTRALIAN AIR TRAVEL. THE BEST WAYS TO TRAVEL BY AIR IN AUSTRALIA. 5.Apr 2010 Regular readers might have seen and read the various advisory and no-fly notice...read TRAVELWISE 2 APRIL 2010. QANTAS. 2.Apr 2010 Some concerns have been raised in relation to some of the maintenance practices...read Sport No Payoff From the Playoffs $16.50 will Get Anyone in the Hall Mr McGwire Stupid Athlete Tricks Technology Think Big! Think the World's Largest International Trade Show Top 9 cool laptop accessories for laptop geeks Twittering: I'm not that interesting Cheers Jesus' Answering Machine Brown Couch or twelve midgets in the town square How To Be Happy Drugged Out Saturday Nights Muslim Decapitation: Bad, or Simply Misunderstood?