A bright red scream: self-mutilation and the language of pain

Description

Self-mutilation is a behavior so shocking that it is almost never discussed. Yet estimates are that upwards of eight million Americans are chronic self-injurers. They are people who use knives, razor blades, or broken glass to cut themselves. Their numbers include the actor Johnny Depp, Girl Interrupted author Susanna Kaysen, and the late Princess Diana. Mistakenly viewed as suicide attempts or senseless masochism--even by many health professionals--"cutting" is actually a complex means of coping with emotional pain. Marilee Strong explores this hidden epidemic through case studies, startling new research from psychologists, trauma experts, and neuroscientists, and the heartbreaking insights of cutters themselves--who range from troubled teenagers to middle-age professionals to grandparents. Strong explains what factors lead to self-mutilation, why cutting helps people manage overwhelming fear and anxiety, and how cutters can heal both their internal and external wounds and break the self-destructive cycle. A Bright Red Scream is a groundbreaking, essential resource for victims of self-mutilation, their families, teachers, doctors, and therapists.;The Walking Wounded -- Into the Void -- The Secret Language of Pain: the Psychology of Cutting -- The Unkindest Cut of All: the Legacy of Childhood Sexual Abuse -- The Body Keeps Score: the Psychobiology of Trauma -- The Hunger within: Eating Disorders, Body Alienation, and Self-mutilation -- A Walk on the Wild Side -- Beyond the Pain: Hope and Healing from Self-injury -- A Safe Place.