Yes.

It was how it started for me. I didn't get along with my stepmother, and found myself building up all these emotions; guilt, hate, anger, sadness and I didn't know how to release it. One day, whilst I was being yelled out for my incompetence, at the age of 13, I found myself digging my nails into my skin to the extent that it drew blood. That kind of opened up the way for me, and it progressed from there. 13 years later I have managed to finally stay 'clean' for 4 years now.
I have learnt that you have no reason to punish yourself, you are a good person and people will love you for who you are. Do not let you parents push any negative feelings on to you, now I am able to realise I am my own person. I make mistakes, but I accept them, I also do good things too and they make me a good person.
You have so much ahead of you to look forward to, don't waste your time punishing yourself. Go out there and live it, make mistakes, grow as a person and keep being strong.
Find an alternative release is a good thing, I read a lot as I love being within another world, do sports (going for a run is often a great way to release the pent up energy when you are about to row with her/or just had one and feel the urge!), have a good circle of friends, pick up new interests/hobbies.
Stay strong! :)

I use cutting to punish myself sometimes, it's between a release and a punishment for me, I don't normally cut for other reasons, whether I actually deserved to do it to myself for what I perceive as bad behaviour that upset someone, even if I know it's not my fault, I'm so use to doing it that I do it anyway.

There are no stupid questions. Hi! People harm themselves in various different ways, scratching, biting, burning themselves, cutting, hitting themselves against hard objects to form a bruise, etc. Self-Injury is not just about cutting. Cutting tends to be the worst case scenario so it gets the most attention.

As to why people do what they do. Well I started cutting when I was 12 or 13, around 35 years ago, give or take a month. I cut because my father molested me from the time I was 8 until 13 when my psychopathic mother finally divorced him for the last time and he moved out. My Pedophile father spent 5 years in prison for molesting 2 of my sisters, and the day he was released my mom, the mother of the year who always had her kids safety in mind, LOL NOT!, re-married him, and let him come right back home. Well all my siblings were older and they cleared out, I was the last target living at home. So at 12 1/2 you don't really know who to go to and tell, or really what to tell. You get brainwashed into believing that nobody will believe you and you'll be taken away and locked up somewhere. So I started cutting, because the brief physical pain took my mind off of the fucked up emo pain for a while. And cutting is a learned behavior and with all learned behavior's once you learn them, it's hard to unlearn them.

Over the years I've worked with many teens who cut, I try to help them not make the stupid mistakes that I have. I try to help them find that voice inside that lets out all the pain, and learn coping skills to replace the learned behavior of cutting or injuring themselves. In my experience cutters generally cut for 1 of 2 reasons, 1. to create pain, so that the real pain their suffering will stop, and/or 2. to bleed, to watch the blood flow and see all the bad, hurt, angry, evil dirty things inside you flow out with that blood, so you feel clean again. We as a group tend to punish ourselves quite a bit for things that we have no control over and things that in no way are our fault.

After 35 years I still cut, not everyday, not every week, sometimes not every year. But then something really stressful or bad or scary will crop up and before you know it you've got that blade in your hand. I never make new cuts, I cut over the old scars. My Pdoc and I have a deal, if I make a new cut then I have to go in-patient to get things better under control...because making a new cut means that something is very, very wrong.....I've not made a new cut in over 10 years.

I know this all probably sounds pretty weird to you, we kind of make our own philosophy about whats accepted and whats not. If your just starting to hurt yourself, now is the time to stop. You do not want to do this. There are so many different ways to handle things, many different coping skills, breathing techniques, relaxation skills, the goal is to fill your imaginary toolbox up with so many different skills and tools to handle stress, fear, anger, hurt, all those tricky emotions, with healthy, safe ways.

I'm sorry that your mom is not supportive, but hon, it doesn't mean you have to let her drag you down. If you have a counselor at school you trust, maybe you could talk to them, or perhaps go to a different adult in your life, a grandparent, a dad and ask them to help you see a therapist. You can beat this before it ever gets a deathgrip hold on you...I promise you that is what you want to do.

Take care,

I do it when I am over whelmed. Not sure if it is to punish myself or not. Never really gave that any thought. Literally, when I am feeling stressed or angry, I do it. It makes me feel better afterwards, like a release. Sorry that you are going through this situation, wish you better days love <3