Pandora's Box: Self Afflicting Harm

Hey Beauties! So I really do hope you guys listened in on my show, "The Chira Project". We discussed Self-Harm and Self-Affliction.  Just in case you missed the show, here is what we covered...

Hello World!

How are you doing today?

Are you feeling alright?

This talk show is unfiltered, so let me apologize now to anyone who might be offended!

Let me welcome in my other radio half personality Richard Zom!

Hello my freaks and geeks!

And he’s going to give you guys your re-cap of the week!

Last week we had on Richard Hodgekins musician and author plus a dear friend of Chira's. Next week we will be talking about is Writer’s Corner and Critic’s Pick. So if any of you have any material that would like to be heard on next week’s show, you can contact us at: facebook.com/crhserenity2 The Chira Project on Facebook.

So today’s segment is the first ever Pandora’s Box. Now, how many of you actually know the lore about Pandora’s Box? Well, legend has is it: The first woman, she was Zeus’ revenge upon man for having accepted the fire which Prometheus has stolen from heaven. The gods all gave her gifts (Pandora = “all gifted”) which would make her attractive – and hence dangerous – to man, Epimetheus, Prometheus’ brother, despite Prometheus’ warning, married her. She had a box or jar in which had been collected all of the world’s ills and which she had been told not to open. But her curiosity got the better of her; she opened the box and out flew all the ills that now afflict mankind. Only one remained behind: Hope.

So that is the lore/legend of Pandora’s Box. It’s basically in a nutshell, a box of emotions and that’s what I bring to Pandora’s Box. We can talk about anything and everything really that has to do with real life and real people dealing with real problems all across the world.

So on this episode of Pandora’s Box we will be discussing self-harm and self-affliction. Why people do it? What drives them to do such a horrendous thing?

This is just some of the things about this subject what could go on in a person’s life that could make them draw a blade to their wrist.

Self-Harm/Self-Affliction

• Depression
• Stress
• Life
• Pain
• Lost
• Alone
• Love
• Relationships
• Friends
• Family
• School
• Work
• Personal Issues
• Bullying
• Media

How They Deal with the Problem

• Anorexia
• Bulimia
• Suicide   
• Sex
• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Run Away
• Stealing

Nobody wants to take the time to really hear about their problems and listen to these people who are actually dealing with such harsh problems. Some want attention and others don’t, that’s why some of them hid their scars from the world. You can find that most of these problems result into teenagers and it is even harder these days to be a teenager because with the media has warped the minds of young children to thinking that this is how it is and this is how it should be.

Spotting a Cutter

Often friends and family are unaware their loved one is cutting. It would seem the signs would be obvious, but cutters can be extremely creative at hiding their wounds. Here are some of the signs to look for:

• Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns or freshly healed scars, especially if coupled with other signs of being troubled.
• Favorite excuses are "I cut myself while shaving" or "The cat scratched me."
• A cutter might describe himself or herself as bored or unable to express emotions.
• Wearing long, baggy clothing in the summer to cover the body. Note any signs of an unusual desire for privacy, such as reluctance to change in gym class.
• A normally outgoing person who retreats and doesn't want to talk to family and friends anymore.
• Talking a lot about death, "being bad" or "needing to be punished." Language that expresses low self-worth, such as describing self as ugly, fat, lazy or worthless.

If you or a friend needs help to stop cutting, here are some steps to take:

• Tell someone. If you injure yourself, it is important to talk to someone about it immediately. It may be difficult for another person to hear that you hurt yourself, but don't let concern for that person's discomfort keep you from taking this vital first step. Talk about your emotions, even if you think that talking so much about yourself is "selfish." Let yourself be real. Give your confidant some time to process what you've shared. Realize that most people don't know what to say to someone who confesses to self-injury. Ask your confidant to assist you in getting help.
• Find a Christian counselor who has worked with other cutters and whom you feel is trustworthy. It may take a few therapists before you find one you work well with. If you aren't sure how to locate this kind of professional, call Focus on the Family at (800) A-FAMILY for a free referral to a counselor in your area. You may also need to find a medical professional willing to work with your counselor who can examine and treat self-inflicted wounds.
• Know your triggers. Try to locate what makes you want to hurt yourself and talk with your therapist about creating a plan for how to handle those situations.
• Be accountable to someone. Ask a Christian adult or mature friend to ask you direct questions about your self-abuse and commit to being honest with that person regularly.
• Pray for yourself. Ask others to pray that you will know and believe the truth. Spend time looking through God's Word for verses to use as a defense when you start to feel overwhelmed. Memorize comforting Scriptures. Carry them in your pocket. Post them on your mirror or inside your school locker. Read through the Psalms and know that there are others who have felt the same way you do.
• Find alternative emotional outlets. Express yourself creatively. It may help to create a visual representation of your feelings through artistic expression. Color or draw. Write your thoughts in a journal. Play a musical instrument. Some cutters may need a more physical release, such as dancing, karate or jogging.

 

“To be hungry is to be alive,

To be alive is to be on fire,

To be on fire is to have a mind.

It’s not just pain chasing the vanishing point

Around the stage. The flock turns

All at once and so I turn to you.

Let dissonance be our cognition,

Let a burning scarecrow be our guide.

Woe unto anyone who doubts this meadow.

A woman with one wing tramples the earth.

A man battles his own shadow.

Sometimes the heart just beats itself apart.”

-Rites of Spring, Dean Young  

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you ... And I pray that you, being rooted and established in [Christ's] love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge ... "
—Ephesians 1:17-18; 3:17-19

Here are some additional information:

http://www.angelfire.com/or/kharreshome/page3.html

http://www.genpsych.com/depression-and-self-affliction/

http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/others/

151- Pandora's Box: Self Afflicting Harm