Self Harm

So what is Self Harm why link it with Edge Play ?

Where edge play is about reaching new heights, and peak experiences, the outcome of both roads seems much the same, its the light at the other end of the tunnel, the panic, the buzz, the high, the exhilaration, the sense of achievement, the release and then the deepest calm.
However with self- harm (cutting, burning, strangulation, over-eating/over-dosing etc) and self- mutilation (irreversible self-harm), these are the ONLY way some people find it to be their relief from psychological trauma, usually as a coping mechanism. It would seem that self harm is more common amongst women starting early in the teenage years.

Often they have the deepest need to see visible damage, sometimes the blood letting is releasing the 'evil' (the bad stuff out of your body, such that you can feel reborn afresh), the 'evil' can be anger, hate, frustrations and other negativity's.

Sometimes these moments of self harm happen in a ritualized neo-trance, they are fixed in that mood to cut, and nothing else will sway that course of action until the release. With self-mutilation it seems to be more the fact that the self-harm should be irreversible, this ranges from some of the (BME) body modifications, that include castration, tongue/cock splitting, scaring.

One slave I knew of got relief from punishing himself with the most painful tattoos he could exact whenever he though he displeased his Master, he never though himself worthy enough - regardless of what his Master said.
Another slave, had fantasies about being jew meat in a Nazi-SS slaughter house, where he was to be slaughtered like some animal, cut open, chopped up and used. This is where the SS Officer (like would one really get his hands dirty), would have gratuitous sadism in cutting up him, ideally after disembowelling his brother and making him eat him first, just to delay his horrid death. This guy when he cut himself used to like to see the blood dribbled down his face to get the relief from what was bottled up inside him.

There are many centres that offer help, referring to these people as patients, realising that it is not going to stop over night they employ a damage limitation tactic, when are encouraged to use razors as knives just tear at the skin causing disfigurement.
What these 'patients' often get sick of is "just talking about it" so the next thought is how can this need for release be achieved in other ways ?

Sometimes when a Top does 'stuff' to you in edgeplay it can be seen in the same way as doctor blood letting, sometimes it is like the priest exorcising the demons or forgiving sins, the soul cleansing process.

So where is the divide between edge-play and self harm ?

Well if either of these topics is miles away from your experience you would see no difference, however the closer you get to a topics the more the distinctions become apparent.
Edge Play is more to do with peak experiences than to do with psychological trauma relief.

Where they are the same, is in the buzz, the post condition. A slave can feel that the world has been 'put to rights' after a good session with his Master, there is without doubt a deep psychological benefit from SM. The release of tension, the restoration of 'natural order' and the deep inner peace.

I know of many people who, through SM sex get back to normal, with the excess of built up stress from the high pressures of corporate life. One slave I know of only finds redemption kneeling at his Masters feet with his face in his Owners lap, no pressure, total peace and inner joy - surely that is more natural than pills :)

All of this might sound crazy, yet calling someone crazy does not restore harmony back to their life. If your loved one is into to Self Harm, is does not help them either. We need to accept differences, as and not get too hung up of people that do not fit into our considered norms, their behaviour maybe beyond our comprehension, is that our fault to theirs ?

Its when a Self Harmer cries out for help that you need to offer solutions, one possible diversion is the peak experiences or the 'healing' that a Master gives his slave.