Cutting Yourself and Self-Injury: When Life Really Hurts - A Christian Perspective on Self-Harm by Cutting

By Robert Alan King

Cutting Yourself and Self-Injury: When Life Really Hurts - A Christian Perspective on Self-Harm by Cutting written by Robert Alan King is a book with over 8,800 words. Though there is a Christian perspective in the book it is a practical book with factual information and real solutions for all cutters regardless of their religious beliefs.

With this rising problem of self-cutting, King takes a look at the deeper psychological or emotional causes that might lead to cutting and what affect cutting actually has on the cutter. It also examines the cutter as a person and shows that many cutters simply struggle with this as an addiction like one might with alcoholism, drugs, pornography, gambling, sex or shopping.

In addition, the relationship between cutting and suicide is discussed. King will also look at how others can help the cutter and what the cutter can do to help themselves. It offers real advice and suggestions for all of those going through this struggle. Preventive planning for our children that do not cut is also briefly touched on. Robert Alan King is an ordained minister through Calvary Chapel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Alan King
• Release date: Jul 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476366371

Robert Alan King

Robert Alan King is an ordained minister through Calvary Chapel who has written numerous theological and inspirational articles for a variety of publications, including Advocate, The Church Herald & Holiness Banner, Companions, The Priest, Proclaim, Pulpit Helps, Vista, War Cry, and Decision Magazine. He also has authored numerous printed books and dozens of eBooks.King has a Master of Arts Degree Sum Cum Laude in Psychology from Touro University Worldwide with an 4.0 institutional GPA, a Bachelor of Science Degree Cum Laude in Bible and Theology from Lee University with an 4.0 institutional GPA, and an Associate of Arts Degree with an emphasis in Science from Coastline Community College. He has a total of at least 256 units of education from universities, seminaries or colleges. This includes at least 130 units of Bible and theology related classes from Lee University, Calvary Chapel Bible College, and Chafer Theological Seminary.

Book preview

Cutting Yourself and Self-Injury: When Life Really Hurts

A Christian Perspective on Self-Harm by Cutting

By Robert Alan King

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 by King & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

Published by King & Associates, Casa Grande, Arizona

For a complete catalog of books and publications by Robert Alan King, visit BibleCommentator.com. This site also provides you with news on his upcoming titles. In addition, you can read many other articles by King on a wide variety of biblical issues.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Cutting in the Bible

The Root Causes of Cutting

What Cutting Does

Cutters are People

Cutting and Suicide

Cutting as an Addiction

Is Cutting Demonic?

Helping Cutters

How to Stop Cutting

The Danger for Teens

Conclusion

Footnotes

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Introduction

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a term used to define the intentional injury of the body that usually does not include suicidal intentions. It is also know as self-injury (SI), self-inflicted violence (SIV), self-mutilation (SM), non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), or self-injurious behavior (SIB). Though self-harm can take many forms, the most common form of self–injury is cutting (with a variety of implements and degrees of severity).¹ Cutters often cut on their arms, legs, stomach and other areas, often leaving permanent scars.

The practice of cutting and slicing the skin has become a widespread problem, especially among teens to the point where many now consider it an epidemic. Many believe it has become a social contagion, spreading rapidly by among teens by word of mouth and the Internet. And the numbers of those entering therapy for cutting is growing at an alarming rate. My 17-year-old son told me that he personally knows four teenage girls at his high school that are cutting themselves. And most cutters will not openly confess to this type of behavior, but I know an adult woman in her 50s who suffers from this as well. It is believed that at least 1/2 percent of teenage girls between 13 and 19 years old in the United States cut themselves on a regular basis, but the real numbers are believed by many to be much higher than this. It has also been claimed that about 70% of teenage girls who self-injure do so through cutting. And it is estimated that most cutters begin cutting or slicing themselves while a teenager and many of those who do so will continue the practice on into adulthood.

With this rising problem of self-cutting, we will try to explore the deeper psychological or emotional causes that might lead to cutting and what affect cutting actually has on the cutter. We will also take a closer look at the cutter as a