JC Shakespeare, LPC, is a clinician in private practice and a high school counselor in Austin. From his experience, the large majority of self-injurers prefer cutting, as it is easily hidden and, unless severe, can be self-treated. “Many teens are drawn to the ritual of cutting, and will have special ‘kits’ that become a sort of totem for the ritual,” Shakespeare says. “The hidden scars then become a sort of secret code—many clients have told me that they can easily spot another cutter, even if the typical person would be unable to identify someone as such. There is a sense of initiation into a special society, one that understands the deep pain associated with living in a confusing world.”
Shakespeare says he has also noticed that cutters who develop greater self-confidence are more likely to allow their scars to become visible. “It is somewhat like the ritual of coming out for gay teens,” he adds.
View Article “Why do I like to hurt myself?” online in Houston Family Magazine
