Uncovering the Truth Behind "Cutting"

Post date: Feb 2, 2012 4:56:06 PM

By Susannah Francis

In every situation, there is what is being told through mainstream media and an absolute truth. These two may intersect from time to time, but rarely continually run alongside of each other. In the topic of "cutting" there is no exception. You haven't heard of cutting? No surprise. The media rarely speaks of it and there are virtually no movies that mention it. In fact, when looking for a book on the subject, you often must look in the "mental disorders" section of the library. It is shocking how incredibly distorted the truth has become for these people that suffer with the torment of the desire to cut. This is why God has put in on our hearts to speak candidly about "cutting" and what God thinks about it and those that practice it.

So what is it? Cutting is a form of self-harm where a person cuts into their skin with a sharp object to inflict pain and it is rapidly climbing in frequency among our teen and young adult population. In 1990's the Journal of Abnormal Psychology stated that as many as 39% of US teens engage in a regular form of self-harm. Since the 90's, counselors and psychologists report this number has quadrupled and it is said now that currently over 2 million people in the US are self-harming themselves. Cutting is the new fad among self-harm victims and continues to grow in alarming numbers. Though, self-injury or cutting is defined by the Mayo Clinic as "the act of deliberately harming your own body, such as cutting or burning yourself," it's not meant as a suicide attempt. Rather, self-injury is a way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration.

When we first embarked on the journey of this film project early last year, we thought it might be difficult to find enough people to interview. However, we found quickly with over 2 million documented cases of self-harm, it's not hard to find someone that has been impacted personally, whether they are a cutter themselves or know a loved one that cuts. God opened doors for us to speak to a great variety of people, all providing unique and very personal discussion on the matter. We have spoken with authors, specialists in the field, family and friends of those that cut, and even people that continue to inflict self-harm on themselves. Join us as we continue to discover the truth behind this ever-growing trend and what God is doing in the lives of people daily that struggle with this desire. Zach will begin a blog to document this amazing journey through interviews, research, writing and future production. You can view his blog on our website at www.1heartarts.org/drama/-chords-film-project-blog.