A Very Cutting Rant.

👏👏👏 Properly vented. Well said Sam. 👍❤

My thoughts exactly.

Well said

And justified too Hun...you've written an honest, heartfelt post regarding your genuine concern...a fair point my sweet 👏✨👏✨👏✨👏✨👏✨👏

Awesome babe! And I agree 100% and am concerned too. I gotta ask tho (playing devils advocate here) if self harming rises from mental issues that the outside world can't see then they despair and self harm, is it then wrong to write about other forms of depression or depression as a whole? What about people (me included) that talk about fear, death, the darker side of life.....alcoholism? That's mental and physical, if I say in a poem: "I played Russian roulette with a bottle and a gun, decided I was gonna have a taste of one" as an example? Is that not also glamourising mental issues and physical pain? Just saying as I'm arguing with myself over the morality of creativeness in words! 💋

@smellyfingers I getcha, and I'm having the same debate. I think when it involves self harm there should be balance, consequence. I'm struggling to find the words so I'll go get a coffee

@smellyfingers I think perhaps the difference is, you don't choose to be depressed or an alcoholic. Generally it's a course of events that lead you to end up there. I think what @sammielee46 is trying to convey, is the fact that a young, impressionable person wouldn't necessarily read one yours (or mine for that matter!) 'darker' posts & suddenly decide 'hey, it's cool to be depressed!'. However, as 'cutting' seems to be portrayed as more of a trend, they may make a conscious decision to have a go, as a result of being influenced by something they've read. The recent Bieber crap is a prime example - those people weren't depressed! It was just cool to join in. But a little like an initial foray into drugs for example, something you thought you could control, ends up controlling you, when it was peer pressure & a desire to be liked/cool/on trend, that put you there in the first place. As I can't see what I've written, I've no idea if this makes sense-but I hope you get the gist! 😌😘

@Fly10 👏

@Burrfoot @Fly10 of course saying, I cut you, you cut me bollocks is disturbing and wrong. But if I disguise my intentions am I wrong too? Being older and perhaps wiser than just saying I cut myself to ease my pain, surely I'm glamourising it too? I totally get what you're saying Leigh, peer pressure and wanting to be liked and fit in is wrong, self harming is not cool, it's sad, very sad. Where does it end? Suicide? I'd hate to think an impressionable kid read my stuff and self harmed or anything, I'd rather they identified and talked about stuff openly! Not that I have self harmed or glamourised it. But I talk about dark stuff to get it out my system. I think there is a fine line that some cross for attention, maybe?

@smellyfingers you lost me a bit, how are you glamourising?

@smellyfingers I agree with @Burrfoot - I don't see how any of your darker posts actually glamourise anything? You don't say 'I got off my face & the pleasure of the pain when had my stomach pumped & shat myself was beautifully overwhelming'.....😖 Some of the greatest poetry comes from tales of woe, darkness & heartache. But most of these cutting posts are far removed from true poetry....as you've said, the majority appear to be little more than attention seeking & written by people who have perhaps never participated in it anyway! Now how twisted is that?!?😡😌😘

@Burrfoot by talking of the same subject albeit hiding the intention, perhaps, but say I kept writing about death, for example, is that not glamourising it but in diff ways? Still same subject but told in diff ways? Or illegal drugs as a constant subject?

@smellyfingers there's a difference between fantasy and reality. These cutting posts deal with a harsh a cruel reality that is accessible to children reading them at a level that other subjects do not.

@Fly10 I agree too babe! Where do we draw the line tho? I think that's my point! Disguising an intention could be seen as glamourising it? No? Lol

If it is disguised its open to interpretation. Responsible

Responsible writers/film makers etc always balance the subject.

I agree with what you've said...my only question is shouldn't censorship be down to parents...like @smellyfingers I'm also torn whilst I don't like reading those posts and agree they can be harmful when should censorship begin and end on this app you could argue a 12 yr old could read a sexually explicit post and what to try it for themselves!? @Fly10 @Burrfoot

@Burrfoot yes of course, fantasy and reality....like I said if I disguise it creativity then that's ok? But the intention is still there?? You do not know my mental state nor I you, open to interpretation can go wrong way lol (I'm playing devils advocate still mate) it seems you re saying its ok to disguise certain taboos creatively but if you come straight out with it up front it's wrong?? Or to put it another way, you can only post if you're creative enough? Lol do you see what I'm saying? And no I'm not saying it should be ok to post that crap and compare scars ect I just don't know where it ends! Lol

@smellyfingers I agree with @Burrfoot Your posts don't blatantly state it like some of these others, & therefore the reader can pull from your pieces what they will, by their own interpretation. And @sjw you're right in that the parent should IMO be policing what their children are doing in regard to which sites they're members of etc. But re the sex posts? I suppose my only comment would be that they're gonna do it anyway! My guess is they can access far worse on the web, so may as well read about it in a 'poetic' fashion if at all 😉😌😘

@sjw you're right of course, it must come down to personal opinion and I feel a child on here is more likely to be influence in a dangerous manner by peers posting about self harm than adults posting about consensual sex

@smellyfingers the proof is in the pudding, one size does not fit all, but as most things in life a line needs drawn and that comes down to the old 'what would the average person' think. And yes if you hide what you are saying, then that is not comparable to a piece where an impressionable child can easily read it, digest it, and be influenced by it.

@Fly10 @Burrfoot yes agree peer pressure is more powerful, I just wonder when we draw attention to all these posts are we not not highlighting the subject even more and giving it the attention that maybe someone wants, therefore not allowing it to just die down?

@Fly10 so we draw the line then that we cannot blatantly write about it? You know I admire and have huge respect for you hun but re the sex posts, it's double standards IMO "they gonna do it anyway" as long as they don't blatantly write or talk about it?? Of course 100% agree that parents should be policing their kids, I write how I feel at the time so it's not my fault if a smart arse kid reads between the lines!! I write a post ages ago about a "suited business man" ending up in wrong place/time in a "dodgy area" of London and got robbed and knifed by a gang of youths......is that glamourising gang violence/culture? Btw I'm really glad we having this debate but would really love to hear from a self confessed self harmer and their opinion/views on the subject xx

Thank you so much for this rant Sammielee!!!! :D

Hi @smellyfingers and all. So I have been reading all these comments so far and what a discussion!! Ok so this is difficult for me to say because I never write about the topic but I have been self-harming for three years now. It used to be because I had depression and anxiety but now I just find it so difficult to stop as is it something that I can easily resort to if I feel I need to. I don't like the fact that I do it because people don't understand it and being a teenager I have constant comments from my friends that I am just one of those people doing it for fun or attention etc. There is only a few people that know because I believe it is a very personal journey that you go on and I believe if

@sjw I can't agree with that one, I feel we must debate these issues, not hide from them. I know we add air to the flame, but some things IMO need to be faced and rejected.

*believe if you can it should be a journey you on by yourself. Regarding the issue it angers me so much. Yes most of my posts are dark and maybe violent and sometimes I worry if I go to far in expressing myself. But when people post just about their 'cutting' etc it angers me because if you really felt so deeply about it you wouldn't want to shout out about it. If it is really that personal to you why are you shouting it out to the world? I can see if its a cry for help but there are ways of getting help rather that posting on a writing app. I just feel that someone like myself who doesn't want people's sympathy, can't understand the reason behind having to tell the world about something like cutting which obviously the person doesn't feel strongly emotional about but 'pretends' to.

I hope that makes sense. :)

@smellyfingers read @DarkPrincessGirl 's piece 'cutting' or kimmi's

I just think its so sad that the people writing the posts are getting so many likes and comments from people who obviously don't really see the issue behind it.

@Burrfoot agree but us rejecting it probably won't make a blind bit of difference, did you listen to your elders when you were a teenager? I know I didn't I had to learn from my own mistakes...please don't think I agree with it all I just don't know what the solution is 😔

@rosiecolliflower what an amazing amount of courage you have, I won't patronise you and say you MUST stop cos I know and you know that may not happen (we tell you to stop cos it make us feel better and shifts the burden of weight/guilt ect of us), I applaud you for your honesty tho, it must of been real hard to say it, admitting it to yourself ect and telling others your deepest secret (albeit to strangers on a app lol). IMO people self harm cos of deep rooted issues and I'm no expert or councillor and won't give advice but I will say that it's not the answer and there are better ways to deal with issues and talking openly and honestly (being honest with yourself) is a good start in the right direction IMO. Sorry if that sounded like a lecture!! I agree those that chat crap about it and shout it out from roof tops may not be doing it, why talk about it in that way? As you say it's very personal thing.

@sjw I know you don't, but just because some kids won't listen doesn't mean we stop offering others an alternative or fight to hold the line

@smellyfingers haha. Thank you and no it wasn't a lecture. :) I am actually managing it so well and I am actually very happy with with my life right now which is a bit ironic. But yeah. I just get angry that something so personal if fobbed off like its an easy thing to get through.

*by people who post about it.

But don't worry I have told myself that when I start University in a few months I will stop and I am planning to stick with that goal!!

@rosiecolliflower good very glad to hear you moving on from it! You know life is what YOU make it hun, if you dwell in the dark, anger, fear and negativity then that's what you portray and become, I'm glad you've seen the light and life is about setting goals however big or small they may be and communication is the key!! Good luck with uni, you'll have a wonderful time x

Agree as long as it's done in a sensitive way like the post you and a few others have done 😊

@Burrfoot 👆we just need to remember that some could be genuine crystal for help, even if it's done in the wrong way 😘

@smellyfingers Thank you so much!! And exactly! I have finally learned to see that there are so many beautiful things in the world no matter how small. And even though this change I am taking is slow the outcome in the end will be fantastic. Thank for this. :) xx

I apologise for my piece on self harm. I was in a very dark place when i wrote it and so my thoughts and feelings where that of a negative portrayal. I have added to the poem, making it more uplifting and less demoralising. I hope you get the chance to read it.

Wow I take my grandad to the hospital and come back to all these comments!! And you all have great points. I'm very much in agreement with a lot of the comments here. To me glamourising it and truthfully writing about it is different. There's a fine line with writing about any subject. I think peer pressure however is more powerful than a child reading about an adults sexual experience. Teens and kids listen to teens and kids of the same age, and I think that discussion of any topic is needed in order to learn and move forward. In any circumstance. I hope when my children are older we can discuss issues, draw experience and opinions from each other and learn from them and move on. In a ideal world censorship should be down to the parents, but as we all know alot of children nowadays are being babysat by technology. I know I'm not going to change the world with my opinions but if I can reach one person then that's one less person who needs help. It worries me that self harm seems to be on the rise, which in turn means we have a rise in depression or physiological disorders, in turn meaning young people who are innocent have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Which in turn makes me want to reach out to them all and listen to them and try and relieve some of the turmoil they're feeling. Cutting posts aren't the issue, really it's the intention of the message behind those posts. Kimmi's post about cutting shows this. Idk. Maybe I've just spoken a load of rubbish but hey ho 99% of what comes from my mouth is crap!! 😊

@sjw @smellyfingers @Burrfoot @Fly10 👆

@misslittleDHP @Burrfoot @Irrational_Kimmi @leelee101 👆

And thank you for any likes and or reposts 👍😘❤

@rosiecolliflower what @smellyfingers said! He's right! And you have shown a great deal of courage and strength to share that with us. If you ever need support or an ear, I'm on kik sammielee46 , please feel free to message me and ill do my best to help you in any way I can. Or just listen if that's what you need 😘❤💪💪

@Larko I've read it and commented too! Much much better! 😊 I hope you no longer feel that way. Big hugs to you 😘💪💪

@Larko a very brave and inspirational piece 👏

@rosiecolliflower no problem, my pleasure! Yeah I agree the world IS a beautiful place full of many miracles, we just don't always see it/them, we have to find them and appreciate them. True happiness comes from within, I could make you happy InThe surface but deep down you have to change to be truly happy, some do it, some get by, life isn't always a hollywood film or a fairytale book but we can always work on it, make small changes, find positive friends, learn something new. You cannot have light without dark (it's ying and yang) and at some point in our lives we may feel the dark but light is always waiting to be found!! X

@Larko I agree with @Burrfoot, with the changes you've made it changes the context and the meaning of the piece into one of inspiration!! 😘

@sammielee46 lol sorry for the spam, some things IMO needed to be said, honestly, with care and love, not told to shut up and don't post lol and you always make sense and its definition crap you speak babe x

@smellyfingers thanks sweetie!! No it's absolutely fine. Intelligent conversation is always welcomed. I don't know about always making sense 😳 try talking to me just before bed or first thing in the morning!! Then you will get no sense out of me at all 😜😉

I didn't mean adult sexual content more a 16yr old writing about it 12+ definitely look up to 16yr olds they are like the 'cool' people lol

@smellyfingers oh and I completely agree re the "things needed to be said". And to clarify to everyone, I always have the best intentions at heart. 😘❤

@sjw I get you now, 😊you're right! I certainly wasn't someone to look up to when I was 16, I had a bun in the oven, certainly not cool or role model material 😂😂

@smellyfingers Perhaps I didn't convey what I meant very well. You mention your piece about the London guy - that occurrence is fact is it not? I don't see how you consider it glamourised in any way. Cutting is also a fact, in that it happens daily, but to write about how beautiful it is, well is that not completely different? I don't see how the two examples are remotely comparable. And re the sex, again, when did that ever harm anyone? It's the most natural & normal thing in the world & sooner or later everyone does it. If, however, there were posts talking about the excitement or rush of rape or abuse, well then there's a clear problem. It's the nature of the way the subject is portrayed. To make reference to something harmful in any kind of positive way, will sooner or later have an impact on some person/child. I don't believe a post about a business man ending up being attacked by a gang will encourage ANYONE to go out & knife someone. But to express the relief & satisfaction from slicing your wrist, could just have a knock on effect, if the detrimental consequences of such action are not also mentioned in some way. I have had past first hand experience of this subject, & although I've written about many darker aspects life, I've chosen never to write about that, simply because it is very difficult to find anything positive to say-& I wouldn't dream of promoting it as a 'release'. Just my opinion hun 😌x

@Fly10 I understand it now babe! Maybe it was my interpretation of "glamourising" that caused confusion but you've just cleared it up perfectly! I guess it's one thing highlighting a subject and another acting and gaining satisfaction from the negatives that's the real issue? I think my post about the gang was a half truth and fiction but a very real possible situation that can and has happened in my area. Of course sex is natural and fine if consenting adults but when writing we can create worlds, set scenes and suggest things to the reader, alter state of mind I suppose. Is there not a danger of a minor reading sex posts and wanting to act them out? There's many explicit type post on opuss (I've written a few) as responsible adults should we not post them? Most of us know kids are members and may read them, of course it's the patents duty/responsibility but in your opinion, knowing a child may read it, would you say it's morally wrong to post?? It's often said that some go on crazy killing spree and blame things like PC war games, movies, music ect ect do we as writers need to take some kind of responsibility for our words and think before posting? Nutters live in a fantasy world, we as writers create fantasies, we may fuel the fire. X

I think you have decide what this web site is about. To me people can write exactly what they like whether other users like it or not. If kids are not supposed to read it that is another matter for patents or site operators not for the users. If I cannot write what I want to then I am sure that myself and others will go elsewhere.

@beergrylles you can't leave I enjoy reading your posts 😊 freedom of speech still remains. My post was one of concern. I hope I haven't offended you or anyone else to that matter. 😊

@sammielee46 you also have to be careful with a title like that because of the dyslectic readers ....!:-)

@beergrylles ooh I see what you mean!! 😳😉 oops!! 😘