Many individuals dealing with substance abuse issues or addiction have a past history of or current habit of self-harming, or “cutting.” Although the concept of self-harm and cutting is a very difficult concept for many people to grasp, it is very common amongst people with emotional issues. Many individuals dealing with a past trauma or dealing with overwhelming pain, depression, or sadness often turn to cutting themselves or other forms of self-harm as a way to cope with their problems. Although this may seem counter intuitive (cutting yourself in order to make yourself feel better), cutting and other self-injury does in fact make these individuals briefly feel as though they’re able to better handle life again, even functioning as a “release” of the emotional pain through the physical pain. However, after the individual harms themselves, the pain returns without any permanent recovery solutions.
Individuals who are addicted to drugs and alcohol and also self-harm are in an especially dangerous situation. When an individual is drunk or under the influence of drugs, they may cause much more severe bodily harm to themselves than they normally would have intended to. At Passages Malibu, we teach clients how to end the dangerous cycle of addiction and self-harm by healing their underlying issues and learning healthy ways to deal with pain and problems. By understanding why you abuse drugs and alcohol and why you self-harm as a way of coping, you will be able to regain control of your life and overcome your addiction.
