I hurt so much
I bleed.
Robin et al
Thinking about this, the first post of the year, I considered writing about some of the most powerful resources I have found over the years for people living with self-directed violence (SDV). In some ways, over the past decades there has been an increase in the understanding of why people self-harm. Yet upon reflection I feel sorrow that progress has been achingly slow and uneven. Isn’t that is why I’ve rebirthed this site? Yes.
After digging through my stacks of books and articles I decided to publish the six most powerful teaching words I have found. It’s been many years since this short poem was published in “The Cutting Edge,” yet those words summarize the meaning of SDV. They remind us all that there is always a purpose to a behavior that many perceive to be only harmful, perhaps insane or manipulative. This poem is profound because of its simplicity, clarity, and power. The purpose is to survive the pain in the moment. The “hurt” is the challenge, much more than the means used to manage it, and in this blog I will ask us to consider all the various forms of suffering that bring people to the need for SDV. Whether you have ever lifted a knife, razor, match or fist to yourself or not, I’ll bet you understand pain. Therefore we can find a way to understand, and support, each other. I feel like I am coming home.
This poem is in the file “TCE 59 it is about the pain” on this website. This is the newsletter I hand out first to people as it feels powerful to me. Oh, and that issue contains information about resources as well. But we’ll get to that here as well, soon…
Many conversations to come and I am eager for your ideas, interests, and thoughts,
Ruta
Healing Self-Injury 