An investigation of why so many people deliberately hurt themselves and what can be done to help them. The illness "outed" on a global scale when Princess Diana admitted hurting herself deliberately, and continues to be practised mainly by middle-class women who start in their teens and self-harm throughout their lives. Most cutters are women who have been emotionally, sexually or physically abused as children, but Marilee Strong's research shows that self-mutilation also appears in other groups. There are powerful first-person stories, in which cutters describe their ritualistic methods and somewhat addictive cravings for seeing their own blood. Though research is in its infancy, therapists say there are now promising treatments - from medication to intensive psychotherapy - for the millions of "cutters". Strong reveals what the afflicted and those close to them can do to start a process of healing.
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Review
'An important addition to psychological literature' -- Publishers Weekly
'This beautifully written, sensitively told account of people who mutilate themselves is filled with riveting stories... -- LILLIAN B. RUBIN, author of THE TRANSCENDENT CHILD
'This beautifully written, sensitively told account of people who mutilate themselves is filled with riveting stories... -- LILLIAN B. RUBIN, author of THE TRANSCENDENT CHILD
Book Description
* An extremely moving and comprehensive look at self-mutilation, 'the addiction of the 90s'
* Written by an award-winning journalist
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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First Sentence
It's that feeling again You wake up and see blood stains on your sheets and on your carpet. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
It's that feeling again You wake up and see blood stains on your sheets and on your carpet. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By byzanne
Format:Paperback
Having self-harmed myself, though cutting was not my main way of doing so, and working with people who do, I found this book very insightful. Its strength is that the author listens and quotes the people who self-harm, sees them as people not as cases, and offers a variety of explanations, theories etc. She comes at it as someone interested not as someone whose job it is to cure. I find this a very positive and helpful approach. In my own work, I do not focus on stopping someone's self-harming but am interested in them as whole people - and in the long run, that is what helps people, whether or not they stop cutting etc. This book should be read by everyone who has any connection to anyone who self-harms - especially anyone who is a professional and thinks they know it all. And of course to anyone who does self-harm, or cares about someone who does
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As someone who knew of cutting as a desperate slash across the wrists and never considered my own forms of self harm as anything worth a second thought this book book really opened my eyes. Some parts hit very close to home and can make reading difficult, even emotionally painful, but it is worth persevering. Marilee Strong has researched this well and has found plenty of facts and a variety of schools of thought on the causes and treatment of all kinds of self harm and explains them in a way for the average layperson to understand with dumbing down the scientific nature of this research. The case studies bring the book alive, making it seem like a true story (which it is) as opposed to an acedemics text. This book reveals how common self harm is and shows it in many lights - from teenagers who long to stop to the middle aged who are comfortable harming as part of their lifestyle. The likely causes are also examined along with methods of helping 'cure' self harm but never is there any mention of 'wrong' or 'bad' nor is there any suggestion that those who do not harm for the examined reasons or respond to the recommended treatments are fakes or any less of a 'cutter' than a textbook example. I like the way this book is very human, full of feeling and emotion and examing individuals as part of a whole instead of a whole into which the individuals must fit. Marilee Strong has done a wonderful job of a difficult and controversial subject, i recommend this book for all psychologists, teachers and social workers (as well as anyone who does harm or knows someone who does) - it is an invaluable insight into some of the problems of life and how they can manifest themselves.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I am a foster carer and came across my first case of self harm/mutilation. I was scared and ignorant, i found this book gave me an understanding of the reasons why people self harm and took away the myth of it being just attention seeking. the book is well written and easy to read. It helped me when I could not get advice or knowledge else where. the book gave me the confidence to help the young person and also to do it without fear or judgement. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who deals with or needs an understanding of self harm.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
interesting insight
Its an oldish book but it still offers a great insight of the why people self harm
not hard to read so would recomend if you work with self harm or not
not hard to read so would recomend if you work with self harm or not
Published 3 months ago by smiley70
5.0 out of 5 stars
mental health nursing student
This book is outstanding!
Found the parts of the book about the physiology of PTSD facinating. Read more
Found the parts of the book about the physiology of PTSD facinating. Read more
Published on 23 April 2010 by I. mclucas
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first book to help me understand self harming
I was skeptical about this book because i have seen many books on self harm that have been detrimental to my recovery. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2005
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Bright Red Scream
Brilliant, as a foster carer who had a young lady who self harmed this was a god send. I was initially both frightened and confused by her 'cutting' and other forms of self harm. Read more
Published on 19 Dec 2004 by "norahs_jon"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good.
As a self harmer, I have read many books on this subject, but this is by far the most helpful. Truly helped me to understand why I do these things to myself, and brought me one... Read more
Published on 15 July 2004
3.0 out of 5 stars
mixed reaction
i wanted a book on self harm for two reasons, one to better understand why i have lived this way for so long and more importantly so that i could talk to pupils who were asking for... Read more
Published on 8 Jun 2003 by "fstewartre1"
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant!
As a self-harmer,i found this book very informative,but not too clinical. written by a journalist rather than a mental health professional, it focuses more on why people self-harm... Read more
Published on 6 Aug 2002
3.0 out of 5 stars
a bit melodramitic (and yes, I do self-harm)
When I first read this book, I thought it was great, someone was finially recognising the pain of self-harm. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!
as someone who is actively cutting, yet still does not understand it, this book opened my eyes and heart. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very, very, good....
This book is really, seriously excellent. I am impressed by Ms. Strong's accuracy and sensitivity. My only mild problem is that the many case studies make it seem a bit like a... Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2001
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