hey, cut it out already, huh?
jane --
[noun]:
1. A level headed person who always makes the wrong decision
2. A hermit living in the big city
'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com
Yeah, I combined them.
Latest rantable item:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2025748,00.html
"Self-harmers to be given clean blades
Sarah-Kate Templeton, Medical Correspondent
NURSES want patients who are intent on harming themselves to be provided with clean blades so that they can cut themselves more safely.
They say people determined to harm themselves should be helped to minimise the risk of infection from dirty blades, in the same way as drug addicts are issued with clean needles.
This could include giving the self-harm patients sterile blades and clean packets of bandages or ensuring that they keep their own blades clean. Nurses would also give patients advice about which parts of the body it is safer to cut."
Ok, so it's like giving smack addicts clean needles... I see.
But isn't *the point* of hurting yourself... to hurt yourself?
LET'S MAKE SELF HARM LESS HARMFUL!
SHARP POINTY *SHINY* THINGS FOR EVERYONE! WHEEEEE!
nurse: Cutting your leg is safe. Cutting your wrist is not.
cutter: Oh. ::cuts wrist:: Thaaaaanks *blood spurt!*
Maybe they'll give out cute little goodie bags in pastel colors and peppy designs. Will Neosporin give out free promo packets too? I want the little bandaids with Flintstones characters.
On the other hand, if you really feel like stabbing yourself repeatedly with a safety pin, go ahead. It's not like you're killing yourself. Heck, even if you are trying to kill yourself, although it's unfortunate and regretable, I believe you have the right to do that. However, for the medical/psychiatric community, which is supposedly there to prevent/cure/treat such harmful things, to do this it's a bit... counterproductive (to say nothing of the Hippocratic oath).
The major difference between cutters and drug addicts is that for drug addicts, the diseased needles and broken crack pipes are a side effect of the addiction-- they're a means to an end. For self harmers, the dangerous objects are part of the addiction. This is more like supplying heroin addicts with grade A heroin, telling them it's safer b/c it's not cut with baking soda (or whatever).
Besides, unlike needles, it's not like it's hard to find razor blades or gauze. Nor are you passing hepatitis/HIV/ebola-infested razors around here. ...What's the point? All you're doing is making it easier (enabling), not preventing *tetanus* from a rusty steak knife. Furthermore, you're sending out the message that this is ok.
I mean, if we're gonna go that route, why not give them silly less harmful things? (like rubber bands around the wrist to snap, or a doll to draw on with a red marker?) By perpetuating the *bad coping mechanism* while trying to treat it, how much progress do you really think you'll make on the underlying problem(s)? This is as pointless as giving patients *happy shiny pills* en lieu of therapy.
Yeah, it's a real problem. (triggering, obviously, especially the 2nd page)
http://flickr.com/people/58779760@N00/