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Depression, Cutting and Self-Harm
Have you ever felt sad or even Depressed, ever felt like cutting yourself? “Sometimes, a
person may experience depression without any particular sad or stressful event that they
can point to. People who have a genetic predisposition to depression may be more prone
to the imbalance of neurotransmitter activity that is part of depression.” (Depression)
Depression, Cutting and Self-Harm is a growing problem in America.
What is Depression?
“Experts say that up to one-third of people will suffer from depression at some
point in their lives.” “Women are affected twice as often as men. One person in twenty is
depressed at any one time.” “It is not only adults who suffer from this illness.” “Young
people get depressed, too.” “In fact, with each generation, depression now seems to hit
more people, and at a younger age.” “The reason for this are not fully understood.”
(Wallerstein) “I believe that we are much more aware of depression and its symptoms.”
“I think depression has always been around and people just dealt with it. Today we are
more knowledgeable about depression---what it looks like, how individuals behave when
depressed, how to treat it---so consequently it appears that there are more people
depressed.” “People talk about mental/emotional health issues today when in the past
people did not talk about it.” “Media definitely makes a difference in creating awareness
of depression.(Aiken)
Why do people get Depressed? “Depression is usually caused by one of two
things---stressful/traumatic events or situations OR by a chemical imbalance in our
body.” “I believe that depression can be an inherited trait---but that does mean that a
person will be depressed…just that they have higher risk for depression.”
“Stressful/traumatic events that may lead to depression can be types of loss such as
divorce, death, relationship, loss of job, or just losing everything such as in a fire,
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hurricane, flood or bankruptcy.” “Most situational depression events will be temporary. “
“The physiological or inherited depression requires more intensive therapy both talk and
medication.” “I think there are numerous situations that can lead to depression.” “Some
of the most common are related to death of a loved one, relationships, money, and lack of
success at school or at work.” (Aiken)
What is Cutting and Self-Harm? “Myth: People who cut and self-injure are trying
to get attention.” “Fact: The painful truth is that people who self-harm generally do so in
secret.” “They aren’t trying to manipulate others or draw attention to themselves”. “In
fact, shame and fear can make it very difficult to come forward and ask for help.” “Selfharm is a way of expressing and dealing with deep distress and emotional pain.” “As
counterintuitive as it may sound to those on the outside, hurting yourself makes you feel
better.” “In fact, you may feel like you have no choice.” “Injuring yourself is the only
way you know how to cope with feelings like sadness, self-loathing, emptiness, guilt, and
rage.”(Smith)
Is Cutting linked to Depression? “Because self-injury is often done impulsively, it
can be considered an impulse-control behavior problem.” “Self-injury may be linked to a
variety of mental disorders, such as depression, eating disorders and borderline
personality disorder.” (Staff) Marcia Aiken Says that Cutting and Self-Harm is “Most
Definitely” linked to Depression. “Self-harm can be a way of coping with problems. It
may help you express feelings you can’t put into words, distract you from your life, or
release emotional pain.” “Afterwards, you probably feel better—at least for a little
while.” “But then the painful feelings return, and you feel the urge to hurt yourself
again.” ”If you want to stop but don’t know how, remember this: you deserve to feel
better, and you can get there without hurting yourself.”
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Conclusion – choose one or several of the following Summarize main points Restate
thesis Revisit introduction or tie all ideas together Concluding Sentence/Transition
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Outline
I. Have you ever felt sad or even Depressed, ever felt like cutting yourself?
A. “Sometimes, a person may experience depression without any particular sad
or stressful event that they can point to. People who have a genetic predisposition
to depression may be more prone to the imbalance of neurotransmitter activity
that is part of depression.” (Depression)
B. Depression, Cutting and Self-Harm is a growing problem in America.
II. What is Depression?
A. “Experts say that up to one-third of people will suffer from depression at some
point in their lives.”
B. “Women are affected twice as often as men. One person in twenty is
depressed at any one time.”
C. “It is not only adults who suffer from this illness.”
D. “Young people get depressed, too.”
E. “In fact, with each generation, depression now seems to hit more people, and
at a younger age.
F. “The reason for this are not fully understood.” (Wallerstein)
G. “That is a tough question to answer.
H. “I believe that we are much more aware of depression and its symptoms.”
I. “I think depression has always been around and people just dealt with it.
Today we are more knowledgeable about depression---what it looks like, how
individuals behave when depressed, how to treat it---so consequently it appears
that there are more people depressed.”
J. “People talk about mental/emotional health issues today when in the past
people did not talk about it.”
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K. “Media definitely makes a difference in creating awareness of
depression.(Aiken)
III. Why do people get Depressed?
A. Depression is usually caused by one of two things---stressful/traumatic events
or situations OR by a chemical imbalance in our body.”
B. “I believe that depression can be an inherited trait---but that does mean that a
person will be depressed…just that they have higher risk for depression.”
C. “Stressful/traumatic events that may lead to depression can be types of loss
such as divorce, death, relationship, loss of job, or just losing everything such as
in a fire, hurricane, flood or bankruptcy.”
D. “Most situational depression events will be temporary. “
E. “The physiological or inherited depression requires more intensive therapy
both talk and medication.”
F. “I think there are numerous situations that can lead to depression.”
G. “Some of the most common are related to death of a loved one, relationships,
money, and lack of success at school or at work.” (Aiken)
IV. What is Cutting and Self-Harm?
A. “Myth: People who cut and self-injure are trying to get attention.”
B. “Fact: The painful truth is that people who self-harm generally do so in
secret.”
C. “They aren’t trying to manipulate others or draw attention to themselves. “
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D. “In fact, shame and fear can make it very difficult to come forward and ask for
help.”
E. “Self-harm is a way of expressing and dealing with deep distress and
emotional pain.”
F. “As counterintuitive as it may sound to those on the outside, hurting yourself
makes you feel better.”
G. “In fact, you may feel like you have no choice.”
H. “Injuring yourself is the only way you know how to cope with feelings like
sadness, self-loathing, emptiness, guilt, and rage.”(Smith)
V. Is Cutting linked to Depression?
A. “Because self-injury is often done impulsively, it can be considered an
impulse-control behavior problem.”
B. “Self-injury may be linked to a variety of mental disorders, such as
depression, eating disorders and borderline personality disorder.” (Staff)
C. Marcia Aiken Says that Cutting and Self-Harm is “Most Definitely” linked to
Depression.
D. “Self-harm can be a way of coping with problems. It may help you express
feelings you can’t put into words, distract you from your life, or release emotional
pain.”
E. “Afterwards, you probably feel better—at least for a little while.”
F. “But then the painful feelings return, and you feel the urge to hurt yourself
again.”
G. ”If you want to stop but don’t know how, remember this: you deserve to feel
better, and you can get there without hurting yourself.”
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Conclusion – choose one or several of the following
A. Summarize main points
B. Restate thesis
C. Revisit introduction or tie all ideas together
D. Concluding Sentence/Transition
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Works Cited
"Depression." TeensHealth. 22 Jul 2004: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 07 Dec 2012.
Morales, Cecilio. "BRING BACK KEYNES." America 26 Nov. 2012: 32+. Expanded
Academic ASAP. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.
Parks, Peggy J. Self-injury Disorder. San Diego, CA: ReferencePoint, 2011. Print.
Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia B. Silverstein, and Laura Silverstein. Nunn. Depression.
Springfield, NJ, USA: Enslow, 1997. Print. DISEASES AND PEOPLE.
Smith, Melinda, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, PH.D. "Cutting and Self-Harm." : Self-Injury
Help, Support, and Treatment. N.p., Nov. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Self-injury/cutting." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 06 Dec. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.
Wallerstein, Claire. Depression. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2003. Print.
Willis, Laurie. Depression. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2008. Print.
Winkler, Kathleen. Cutting and Self-mutilation: When Teens Injure Themselves. Berkeley
Heights, NJ: Enslow Pub., 2003. Print.