Effects of Cutting

For teenagers who are suffering from depression and use cutting as a way to cope with their pains, the long term effects need to be discussed immediately.

Although cutting may give teenagers relief from the sadness and anxiety of depression, it is only a temporary relief. Whatever the issue was which triggered the emotions, was never dealt with and still lurks around.

Once a teenager begins cutting, they do not mean to continue with this coping mechanism. The trouble is stopping this behavior becomes a difficult task and can lead to deeper cutting to where stitches or hospitalization may be required. Infections can occur if the teen's use dirty cutting tools.

For example, some tools teens use are:

• Razors

• Scissors

• Pins

• Exacto knives

• Sharp edge of the tab of a can of soda

Cutting can become a compulsive behavior. Teens use certain behaviors to cope with their depression. Eventually what happens is anytime the teen feels depressed, the brain will learn to associate the sad feelings with cutting. This self-injury behavior becomes an addiction, just like a drug or alcohol addiction.