The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

I have been reading loads of profiles the last couple of weeks. I am pretty new to the site, but not the occult.

On my many trips around the boards I have found several people referring to cutting as a vampire/occult trait. This is a new one to me but I am open to any interpertations that my fellow VR's would be kind enough to explain. I am not asking for anyone to defend a side, I am asking for someone to explain both sides.

Here is the question. . .

Cutting, is this an expression or a obsession?

Dark Greetings,
Titangoddess

I think it depends on the person and it can be both. One thing I know for sure is there is no universal answer. though someone may start as an expression and have it become an obsession. but I'm pretty new myself so.....yeah

It belongs in the Sandbox. But it can be either, depending on the person in question. I used to cut and had started when I was 11, it had nothing to do with vampires or anything like that.

Thank you Dire, it was just an honest question and I appreciate the response.

Cutting is also a very large part of blood donering, which I know is the gist of this thread. It is both an expression of the vampire nature and in some ways, it could easily be seen as an obsession.

I cut because iy=t makes me feel better
the pain from cutting takes away bad thoughts !

Where have I heard that before....

I think cutting is a form of release for certain people, but I also think that there has been a huge upswing in the popularity of cutting and many people now do it because they believe it is the only way to express themselves or ease their pain. Perhaps people need to take a break from self pity and find other means of self expression.
We were blessed with these bodies, I believe it is selfish to simply destroy and hurt them.

Continuing with my friend STABB666 here I also think it could be also none of those, but a cry for help..

In my opinion i dont like cutting, it is self harm and there should be no reason to self harm. its just abusing your body, some people cut for the attention, others because they are deppresed, as people have said it depends on the person.

I'd say there are plenty of ways to get help, and cutting yourself is pretty far down on the list for me. I understand why some people do it, I will admit that I did it, but then I realised I was being cowardly in not just stating that I needed help.

With all the hardships and pain other people are going through throughout the rest of the world, people watch their children starve, others lose their loved ones to disease or war....I try to think of them and then find a less selfish and less destructive way of getting help because I am lucky enough to be born into a world where starvation isn't a constant threat or I don't have to worry about getting shot in the street for no reason...

I agree with morigon, there are people a lot worse of than you. and if your self harming it is a plea for attention in most cases, self pity, there are always people worse of than you. theres no need to self harm no matter what that circumstances. i understand why some people still i think its wrong.

I admire each and every answer. For those who admitted or understood and for those who knew the difference. I was not wanting to start any sort of battle of right and wrong or moral or not. I was just interested in this. I have seen so many profiles on VR that promote cutting and associate it with vampires. I appreciate all the information.

Titan

Moving away from the manic depressive reasons, there are plenty who are obsessed with vampires, maybe even believing themselves to be such, who cut themselves and others to let the blood for drinking.

It is a highly erotic act to those who undertake it and is even seen as a neccessity by some, to reinforce their concept of vampirism.

cont. from Stabb:
Not to mention (consenting adults) who take erotic pleasure in bloodsports and ritual scarification and branding, which a number of adherents claim is just as valid a body art as tattooing.

Highly erotic, pain is pleasure....Yeah.

So what is the main basis for the whole idea and appeal of being a Vampire..Pleasure?

Cutting has got to be a pretty broad subject. Surely there are extreamly diverse reasons for cutting and each individual would have a differernt reason for doing it.

Personally I like pain; I like blood, I like knives and razors, and I am a chef. I cut myself so frequently I find no reason to do it in my spare time.

However, given sufficent time away from the kitchen I oftentimes think of cutting. I usually go to a peircer instead tho... or perhaps a suspencion or brandings etc.

you know i am not sure. i have seen beautiful scar art , on mostly non-vampire types and the scars that speak of suicide attempts.....i think it depends on the individual.

I think there are extremes on either end. I dont believe in cutting as a form of self therapy, however I have been told that I am not one to talk since I am/have been a collared sub for many years, and took great pleausre in floggings and edge play.. and many is the time there was an "oops - my bad" that resulted in cuts, welts, bruises and the like. (wraparounds really hurt).

I think both can be a form of self expression. Here in the Tampa Bay area.. we have "cutting artists". Instead of peircings or tattoo's.. they have designs cut into their skin.. which scars up nicely to form some pretty intense designs. I cant really say that this is not a form of self art.

However the 15 years sitting in a corner of her room slashing herself repeatedly because she was raped the night before by a family member.. is in my opinion, not a cry for attention but someone in need of serious intervention.

At what point would someone step in as a concerned "human being" and offer such help? How fine is the line? Do I need help because I like being welted up by single tails? Does maryjane bodiddly need help because she likes cutting herself with razors down her right calf?

I have been labeled as a "cutter" since 1996. It was at that time that my self-abusive behavior moved from breaking/spraining my bones and joints to cutting my flesh. I have been self-injuring since about the age of 6-7 as a way to cope with abuse in my life and the depression and emotional problems caused by it. I coulcn't talk about how I felt or why I felt that way at all and the only way I could cope with my feelings was by causing my body to physically feel the pain I felt emotionally. Once it was a physical pain, I knew how to make it feel better. Unfortunately, your body releases a opiod like chemical when it is injured that allows your body to deal with the pain without going into shock immediately. This chemical provides a sense of relief to the person which in turn allows the person to feel like by hurting themself, they have made themselves feel better. The person becomes addicted to this chemical as if it were a drug and keeps cutting in order to get the feeling again and again.

For me personally I cut when I was depressed.. I liked to see the blood driping from where I would cut... It passed time and was fun in some odd way..

However now that I am older I enjoying cutting myself and other people for a more sexual reason... To me nothing is hotter then a guy covered in blood....Mmmm yummy

this is a very deep question as cutting is different for everyone. I myself have tried it a few times as a way to manage anger. of course for me it wasnt something that helped. so i never felt the need to do it again. but for some of my friends, they needed it to let out anger, they needed it to feel pain on the ouside because the pain inside was unbearable and so on and so forth. the reasons are many.

but lately it has become much more of a fad. some of those friends i mentioned above, it seems like now they do it for show. and they show their marks offf like its jewelry.

so to answer ur question, i honestly think its both of those things.

Perhaps cutting is the desire to be mortal.
Feeling the pain and seeing the blood drip both bring one closer to destruction. With our lives as sheltered as they are sometimes all people want is to shake things up a bit, remind themselves what pain is and remind themselves that they are mortal.

I honestly think it is a cry for help.. But It also could depend on the person.

I'm probably just repeating what someone else said, but this is what I know about it as an addiction.
When you cut, your brain releases endorphins just like it would when you exercise. Endorphins make you happy, they elevate your mood. So, to be plain and simple, it's what I feel lazy people do... sorry to step on toes, but really... if you're not a donor just go to the gym or go for a jog.
Another excuse for it is the age old "I do it to feel."
As far as donoring, I haven't a clue.

I have been a cutter for a long time. I so many scars from I can't even count them anymore. I used to do it because it was the only way for me to feel alive. But now I do it to feed my hubby. It also helps me with stress. I think for some people, mosty teens it is a way to cry for help or for atttetion. And for others it can be some thing they just can't stop doing. Everyone that cuts has there own reasons for it. So one can't really say if it is an expression or a obsession. I think there is much more to it than just those things.

it starts out as a way of release from emotional stress and then ends in a addiction kinda of like drugs and smoke'n. I THINK ITS A FORM OF ART...

why would you think cutting to be an art form?

Scientifically you can get a high off of cutting because of the chemicals released to dull the pain but I say once again it depends on the person

i would have to say both i have met people who would do it to express themselves. but others where it was a need almost as powerful as breathing to them

I think cutting fits into self harm sub group of a psychological problem.

As Wikipedia states, "It is listed in the DSM-IV-TR as a symptom of borderline personality disorder and is sometimes associated with mental illness, a history of trauma and abuse, eating disorders, or mental traits such as low self-esteem or perfectionism. There is a positive statistical correlation between self-injury and emotional abuse."

I would hope that people who are cutters would get help. But being a former cutter, I know it is not easy at all. The pain we cause ourselves physically to relieve the emotional pain isnt healthy.

I think it can be both, but I lean mostly to an obsession, you get addicted, and as Yendor said a cry for help. Pshycologicly, cutting is a way to put a name to a great deal of pain. For example the loss of someone close to you will provide you with great mental pain, a hodgepodge of different emotions, you cannot pinpoint it so you cut yourself. If you cut yourself in the arm you now know where the pain is located
( you have moved the pain to a visible place)

Cutting is diffrent for each person.
One way..may-be a cry for help.Another is
Just a way to let the pain out..and maybe pleasure.But..art...NO way.
Maybe in tribe methods of tattooing.

Cutting can become an obsession, it's like biting your nails. It becomes a habit and hard to break!

So the guy that walks into his local tattoo parlor here in tampa.. and lays down 500 bucks for a tribal to be cut into skin across his shoulder blades isnt art?

I bet that guy would flat out disagree with you.

at one time tribal scarafication was high art..check out some the old national geographics...its not so much cutting as carveing art into ones flesh and yes , some of the designs are quite beautiful.

Actually I view cutting as a call for help. Probably indicative for a need for medication

It might start out as an expression but then turn into an obsession. But, whether it is an expression or obsession, it is ultimately a cry for help.

I personally think cutting is something that most use as a act of depression . Some deal with depression as self destruction and cutting is one form of that..

I believe cutting is a form of expression. When you cut it feels like all of your anger, sadness and frustrations are released just by a cut.

I believe that it depends on the person. My own perception is a pyschological need to subdue some other underlying issues.

I also know that some folks are just following a trend for attention.

Either way it is a personal decision and not one to be taken lightly.

It depends i suppose. for the times i have done it (and i will admit that i have) it was an expression to get attention when i was depressed. but...for some people it can become such an obsession that they can not stop it.

I think cutting starts out as an expression, but becomes an addiction. People usually cut because they are stressed or depressed. Cutting is a way to deal with things. But after so long it seems it becomes an addiction.

expression.... expression = HELP ME!

Sometimes it can mean 'HELP ME!'.. but other times it could just be a person liking pain. Enjoying pain, to some people, may not be defined as 'normal'. But, 'normal' is different for everyone.

well as I see it from personal experience. I have seen both sides. And I have been on both sides. But to say its a problem at first sight of marks is bullshit. It starts as an form of self expression, sometimes saying hey pay attention to me, sometimes to cope with a situation. but to send someone for theapy for trying to get attention is wrong. now the problem I have with it is that if it goes unnoticed or if no one shows they care the person develops a need for the pain and in turn it becomes an obssesion. I warn everyone, don't let it become an obssesion.

its an obssession i guess.

Lord Fangor... I'm appalled.

*The following is not medical or spiritual advice, it is my personal opinion*

Surely cutting must be a better form of therapy than medication. Providing of course that it is done as an act of self control rather than the obverse.

Pain, self control, and BME, are by far less harmful than even the most benign chemical. The danger occurs when it is done in a vacuum. Modern medicine even in a controlled evironement is extreamly dangerous. If a cutter learns how to do it properly as a path for personal growth; it is infinately more benificial than a lifetime of dependancy on a pharamacutical company.

There are many places where a cutter can learn to express themselves safely... many BDSM groups have regular classes on safe play practices.

This is a tough one to answer for me but it is an obsession, one i can no longer control and i hate that, but love it at the same time, i do it to help take away the pain of certain things in my life and to just watch in amazment at how much i can bleed.

Real gashy cutting I've always thought was an obsession. The look, the feel... what is there to express?

it's used as an expression however, it's not. cutting is wrong and shouldn't be done

Both.

It is an obsession to make an expression to yourself....and a cry for help from other people...the obsession is secretly wanting others to know and see what you are doing but trying to hide it at the same time and the expression is all the emotions...the sadness and hate you feel while doing it...the regret and fear you have afterwards if anyone finds out but the hope that someone will...and the release it has on you.

I have been cutting since I was in my early years. I hate feeling pain emotional.. that and the fact that it is a pure release of energy. Like letting go of certain things that have built up from over time. So I say it can be both expression, and obsession.~NFA

As a teen I used to cut, and when my eldest asked me about cutting just recently I was able to answer with my view point.

To me cutting was a form of control, at a time of my life when I had no control.

I could cut myself, and no one could cut me or stop me cutting myself, that was my control, and it made me feel in control. Of course as with many forms of control it was a farce, but at the time I did not appreciate this.

Cutting for blood letting is of course a different matter all together.

On an intersting side note, Bleeding was a valid medical practice into the 18th century and was carried out for a range of reasons, ill humours, blood fever, etc, but was also carried out on horses as well, with varrying results. It IS effective at reducing certain kinds of stress induced increased blood preasure and high fevers, but has far too many dangerous side effects to be regularily carreid out today!

It's not exactly my cup of tea...or blood...but to some people it's exciting and i certianlly don't fault them for that...to each their own

i feel that it depends on the person as to what is the reason for doing this but there are many reasons for someone to do this as with anything else for that matter

Depends On The Person..
Depression, Blood Letting/doner, And Attention...Just Depends.

I know that i do it because i would rather endure physical pain then emotional pain. most cutters cut to feel pain when they are numb or starting to feel emotional pain. it is soothing to us.

It is a form of both depending on the person themselve because each case is differant as each individual who pertakes in such things...
I also feel that in some cases it is a cry for help or a form of release as has also been stated...
All in all it can be seen in all aspects and forms and the only true answer for it comes from those who do it...

It can be both (agrees with the last 10 people that said that).

The thing that bothers me is it seems to be increasing since it's more openly talked about it.

I don't want to belittle people that truly feel compelled to do it, but people that do it for the bandwagon factor really bug me.

It can be both, both in most of the information I have.It's a obsessive problem and the person cuts themselves and cant stop after a time.For whatever feelings of they are dealing with ie: abuse, drugs,depression.To want to hurt oneself is never a normal behavior, and help should be sought.

Agreed. Help is a better way to deal with it than self-destruction.

But if it is an addiction, they may not realize they need help getting it under control, until it is too late.

there are other ways to deal with emotional pain...

~sighs~

my opinion it is an obsession. once you get used to the pain you are continuously looking for it. Like the addrenaline rush.

what ever you want to call it it is dangerous.

your right about that, it is dangerous. but you cant make people stop. all u can do is be as understandign as possible.

i think that it is both. the expression part because some want people to believe that they don't care if they fell pain because it doesn't bother them, but with the obsession because they are used to it making them feel good so they don't want to stop they just want to keep doing it to help them.

I think its more of a obsession... My niece got in to that we had so much going on in our family and it became pain she could control since she couldnt anything else but this she found she could and then she found it was a rush as well... Its very dangeruos and what happen the one time she goes to deep and hits a artery or what not!

Expression of the darker side, it can be dangerous, it can also kill you but so can overdosing on medication or drinking to much water or vodka. Moderation is in need but also being careful because ones expression of there dark lust and wild ambition can so easily become an obsession to know were the pain is comeing from which is why I beleive people do in most cases that it is an obsession in others its a punishment.
So many veiws so little time.
No real answer...just what you beleive.

i feel it is a tool on dealing , i self defence mechinism .

I personally have always thought that cutting was a form of crying out for attention.

Cutting is a complex, broad situation.

Ritualistic scarring can be considered a form of cutting. I know someone who had a beautiful pattern put on her back.

I think the young person in their room with a razor is not artistic. I think it is an obsession and a cry for help. I almost started when I was a teen, but I found a way out.

Cutting can also be erotic when with two consenting adults. Is it necessary for being a vampire? No.

cutting can be both. there are plenty of religions I know of that use bloodletting in their rituals..... then if you are cutting to induce pain it can become and obsession if you are not careful.......

Though I don't particularly understand it, I personally and intimately know a few cutters. I feel bad for them, but if its a cry for attention I think they should look else where. Because as cruel as it sounds, I'm not listening. As said before some people have had it ten times worse, and have carried on quite "normally".

But I understand that everyone has their own way of dealing with things so I don't begrudge anyone this form of "release". But from a narcissitic point of view, I could never ruin my body that way. My body goes through enough abuse without having to worry about razor cuts all the time.

And if things hurt so much on the inside why put more stress on your inner self by having to worry about cutting or if your ashamed, whether or not someone will find it. If things are so bad, why add to it? Why not find something more productive to do?

Maybe I just understand, but thats what I think.

cutting is one of thoes things that just depend on whos doing it but i think some go to far and do it just to seem cool

for me cutting was a relase and a stress relave plus i like pain

In the sense of it actually feeling good I say that cutting yourself for pleasure or for erotic purposes is quite similar to Erotic asphyxiation, which is extremely dangerous and has been the cause of many deaths.

I believe it's both. I'm not a cutter, but my daughter has delt with this problem for the last eight years. She stop cutting last september. When I asked her why so told me that when she started she would cut when depressed, after she started it became an obsession.

It can be both i suppose but i honestly think that its a way of getting attention & a nasty way to mutilate yourself... I knew a girl in elementary school that dug her name into her arm with an eraser (yes absurd but she pulled it off) & i think its very hurtful & it just doesnt seem right to me..I have problems like everyone else but would never inflict pain on myself like that to make things better...Theres other options other than self mutilation but hey thats just me & the fact that i like my body to much to cut it up.... Thats my measley 2 cents worth....

Ive done a lot of stupid things like overdosing on pills or even got so ill once that i tossed the home phn across the room to watch it break for attention..Or ive sliced my palm once w/a glass shard to see what it felt like b/c i was depressed to the point of being a zombie everyday, but once i tried it i woke up fast b/c i relaized it was just stupid & what would be the real point behind hurting myself? I didnt need people to feel sorry for me or to have them say "oh poor dear she needs help"....I just relaized after all the stupid temper tantrums of phn throwing & trying to mutilate myself that there had to be better more sane more positive options. So 9 yrs later im happy w/a few bad days, i dont take meds to make me better, i dont cut, i just find things to do like read,listen to music or go out for long walks to think when im having a down day instead of harming myself or others just b/c i want affection love or attention.....Theres always a silver lining no matter the situation....

Cutting is part of a larger illness. The only way that cutting can be an expression is that it is an expression of a call for help.

If you are a cutter - please get help to stop it. I do not like people hurting themselves to make other pain go away. I have seen way too many kids (under 21) in the hospital for cutting when I go visit sick children.

Your cutting is a cry for help for a larger problem. If you can not ask a close person for help - message me and I will help you get help. I care!!

This is strictly my opinion- but if it helps save one person - then I am happy!

well i think it is just a way to remind ourselves about pain. how to deal with it and express yourself. i am a cutter, but im not obsessed

"Sevenn Said - So, do y'all think that getting a tattoo is a cry for help? (scarification with colored ink injected) Because, uh...sometimes people just do it (ritualistic scarification) for body modification purposes. Seriously, google it.

And I think we may have lost the original point of the thread and all started to EMO out a bit....the original thread was talking about how it may or may not be related to vampirism. Is cutting a vampiric trait? Are the sanguinarian vampires here seriously saying it is always a cry for help if a person cuts themselves? *cough* are your donors crying for help? "


No. I do not believe that "cutting" is a part of vampirism. I would tend to assume that a vampire would much rather draw the blood themselves.. then to see their donor scarring themselves. Nor is it in my opinion a vampiric trait. I believe if your donor is cutting themselves.. you really need to get them some help.

I do believe that for the most part cutting is a cry for help. There are also big addiction issues with it as well with it releasing endorphines it is a powerful drug. But I do know some people cut as a way to release inner pain and make it outer pain that can be seen healed and dealt with.

I believe it is both yet not confided to either specifically. Its not as simple as some people think.

More than often it is a way to regulate emotions due to the chemical release when harming one's self or a way to punish one's self. You can get addicted to those sensations and the thought processes you associate with it.

Or you like pain and it has nothing to do with emotional pain, which is prolly where blood-letting can come in.

I reccommend "Cutting" by Steven Levenkron, if you ant to read a pretty good book about it, how to help someone, or yourself.

i feel cutting is an expression of ones self pain that they feel

I think that cutting is a very broad topic that can be both vampiric and self mutilating for a variety of reasons mentioned already. I do think that cuttting along with other forms of pain can easily become an obsession. Not that it is a bad thing, lol ;)

These have all been very good answers. I like the fact that I can post a honest question in a forum that does not argue the matter, just states information available from their point of view. My personal thoughts on cutting are varied. I do not agree with it, but I do not actively disagree with it. I have never had anyone I know do it and never have I been around people that knew someone that did it. I did however study it in my graduate classes. It is, in societies view, an addiction. I have read about the chemical release that causes the 'turkey effect' and calms a person down. I was curious as to the vampiristic view of it. Like I mentioned, I have seen tons of profiles advocating cutting and promote cutting. I was confused as to were that was coming from. Thanks again for the most organized forum discussion I have had.
Titangoddess

i too think it depends on the person, the mood and the state of mind at the time of cutting.
i've seen some people very controlled with it... almost an art form while others i've known did it to express and call for help for inner pain no one knew about

it depends.. could be both.

For me it was an obsession. I hated myself so I did. The last cut I did is more than a year a go. *go me*

it depends... Because I use to cut and I did it for expression and it turn out that I got obessed with it. But i never did it for attention... the only people that do it for attention are the people who actually show you and wave it around like idiots.. other hide it. To me it was a way to deal with all my problems.... pain was all I ever felt... but it was happy pain. But i never did it due to vampire reasons or anything like that. I dont know where you heard that from.

Let'sget to the do i or don;t I section....YES, I have cut myself. When something external hurts so intensely its difficult o re-direct that anger in a nother direction. What's direction would ease the atomic build-up eenrgy. No one to talk it out with, no way to exert the pain until exhaustion. Sometimes you acn't leave teh gbed and only with for death. Well. I have been there. I was ready to pack it all in. Who would wast a tear on me> I've touched no lives, I didn't solve world epace. i am nothing....

OR AM I

Potential doesnt come to you with all the working parts i order. It's what you strengthen yourself to do with them. I don't mean one day at a time -- lest you be looking for reuslts aafter a week (lol) No, it'sa likek makeover. Reorganizing your lifes goals and putting past triumphs and falurein tehir persprective. I won't lie to you. This will be the hardest test of your life. Byt this test hold tightly to your happiness while you are here. for me? It's all a work in progree. I have my self-destructive tendencies but have found they are not holding my council as that once was. I am ever so thankful for it.

In part, I have to say my coven of Lux Aeterna has given me a home to flourush and learn more about myself. I hav begun to move past the bullshit.I am fightingmy way to happiness; make no mistake, it is a battle -- but one you can win.

Take that razor. Chuck it. Grab a book and get lost in characters far worse off than you will allow your self to imagine. Soon, you too, shal see this too will pass. And the strength will be all yours. For you can make it happen. Even in the stormiest days -- keep your eye on the prize.

I believe in you.

Cutting can mean anything specific thing to anyone. When I used to cut it was symbolic to me. I enjoyed the pain of the flesh being split apart by the metal, then when I would see the blood flow, it reminded me of all the chaos in my head, heart, and soul was leaving me. . . refreshed and anew. Never an obsession for me, never an expression of who I was, it was all pleasure and symbolism.

As others have said... Cutting means different things to different people. When I cut... I did it for a release, the only way that I could let the pain from within out. I had no one to turn to, no thing that I could say or do that would ease my pain the way cutting did.

an expression it is used to express one's true feelin on the body to show the world how they truly feel

it is probably both things.. however, it seems wasteful in any case.. the death within can be embraced without it.. i feel that is what eases pain/fear, the death within.. it is easier/more efficient to obtain that without physical damage..
D

Well, it could be both. But regardless, I think that it is a really rediculous thing to do and I agree with neodragon that is extremely dangerous!!:( There is no point in trying to relieve stress by cutting...ever try relaxing! It is something that can not be stopped, so just stay away from it and if there is a family member with the problem, try anything you can to help them out!

i believe that it isnt necessarily a vampire trait, but more of an expression. i have seen many say that they do it because of thier love of blood, or because of their depression.

This thread has been automatically closed for length.