Self harming

[MajideSaiaku]

is there an issue of japanese girls harming themselves?

japan is a pretty stressful enviroment, especially for teenagers, so i was wondering if its a big issue there.

=/

discuss

 

[Ma Cherie]

I've never heard anything about japanese girls inflicting pain on themeselves. However, I would be happy to check into. There's a possibilty that such things could happen.

 

[isayhello]

I will now referr to a site made by a very special guy named Masa. Despite it's somewhat comical and nonserious appearance, Masa does some good writing and photographing on japanese society. Some of the things he comments are somewhat shocking and even disturbing and some of you might find his website offensive. I could recommend some of his writings though..

Anyways, a while ago he did a rant about this girl - and she's obviously been hurting herself. Masa writes that it's quite common too.. - and don't worry, it's not offensive in any other way than that it's an interview with a girl who has been cutting herself and pictures of her. Nevermind Masas bad english and his somewhat stupid comments, I though I just wanted to show you that there are japanese people who do hurt themselves. Read about the girl here: Wristcut Girl

Please tell me what you think; is it offensive, stupid or interesting? Do you see Masas writing as plain stupidity or true sarkasm? His website has been very much talked about, because people don't know what to make out of it.

 

[Ma Cherie]

Thanks Isayhello darling.

 

[RockLee]

Yeah saw that a long time ago on Masamania, however wristcutting isn't typical in Japan, just something that flew over from the crazies in America...where all kind of dumb **** gets invented and people think it's "cool". They make it seem like it's some kind of body art like tattoo or piercing or brandstamps or whatever.

 

[Pachipro]

Please tell me what you think; is it offensive, stupid or interesting? Do you see Masas writing as plain stupidity or true sarkasm? His website has been very much talked about, because people don't know what to make out of it.

Good link isayhello. I was going to post the exact link myself when I noticed that you had already linked to it. I also find Masa's site quite interesting as it gives a non-conformist Japanese point of view of society there. I don't think it's stupid at all. I find it informative, philosophical, and amusing. A must read for all.

 

[isayhello]

It's very fashionable in Sweden too, and many teenage girls (err.. in my age) do it. Most of them do it to get attention or popularity and aren't mentally disordered or depressed at all. This is a serious matter, since with soo many 'fake' wristcutters, it's more difficult to actually detect the ones that are in serious need of help. Thus, the ones actually suffering from mental disorder will not be taken seriously, or will not get the chance to be treated, since all hospitals and psychologists are busy 'helping' the girls who go there to be cool...

A very sad situation.

Good link isayhello. I was going to post the exact link myself when I noticed that you had already linked to it. I also find Masa's site quite interesting as it gives a non-conformist Japanese point of view of society there. I don't think it's stupid at all. I find it informative, philosophical, and amusing. A must read for all.

I like Masas page too, but I've heard about some that has found it disturbing and stupid. I love his photos, he's talented. Sometimes it gets a little shocking though...

 

[Pachipro]

I like Masas page too, but I've heard about some that has found it disturbing and stupid. I love his photos, he's talented. Sometimes it gets a little shocking though...

There will always be people who find anything "disturbing and stupid." I'm sure there are even some visitors here that find J-Ref "disturbing and stupid." Luckily, they don't stick around. However, I feel one should always take all views into account, even those of Masa's, in order to grasp all aspects of a subject or, in this case, a culture. Yes, I feel he is talented, tells the truth, and, I think, a little angry at his own culture. Did you read his biography? He's a former porn film director.

 

[PaulTB]

is there an issue of japanese girls harming themselves?

japan is a pretty stressful enviroment, especially for teenagers, so i was wondering if its a big issue there.

It was a significant theme in the some episodes of the anime ﾋ?､窶堋ｵ窶堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｺﾆ遅ﾆ辰ﾆ遅ﾂー.

 

[isayhello]

Did you read his biography? He's a former porn film director.

I knew he used to be a porn film director, but where did you read his biography? Please tell me, I'd be interested in reading it too!

 

[bossel]

It's very fashionable in Sweden too, and many teenage girls (err.. in my age) do it. Most of them do it to get attention or popularity and aren't mentally disordered or depressed at all.

Really? I never heard of it being a trend in Europe, too, only about some silly US American teenagers (mostly girls). Let's hope that this crap doesn't gain ground in the rest of Europe.

 

[Mike Cash]

More common is to see among the furyou set girls with burn marks on their arm from engaging in ﾂ債ｪﾂ青ｫ窶敕､窶堙 or from being the target of ijime. "More common" than self-cutting....but not exactly what you would call common among the general population.

 

[Ma Cherie]

Really? I never heard of it being a trend in Europe, too, only about some silly US American teenagers (mostly girls). Let's hope that this crap doesn't gain ground in the rest of Europe.

This trend is going on in the US, and I'm not all that surprised that it's occurring in Europe. But this isn't really one of those trends for fashion or self expression. Or whatever reason's you heard why this was happening in America. I will tell you this from experience. I've met girls who have cut themselves on not because of some trend. These I've met were doing it because they were facing some problem with depression. It seems like this gives them some kind of comfort. They want to feel pain, and as it was pointed out before, these are doing because they want to feel something, even if it is pain. It's really difficult to understand why this is happening. But, inflicting self harm on oneself is at times a sign of depression. Or possibly a deep mental problem.

 

[MajideSaiaku]

It was a significant theme in the some episodes of the anime ﾋ?､窶堋ｵ窶堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｺﾆ遅ﾆ辰ﾆ遅ﾂー.

i dont watch anime, not in any real fan's measurement of watching.

my girlfriends japanese, and she gets pretty stressed sometimes, and suffice to say she has admitted to hurting herself (not cuts or anything) a few times, so i thought it worthy of discussion.

 

[isayhello]

Cutting oneself gives comfort, so to speak, you focus your stress and depression into one point; the cut. It makes you feel calm. But the scars are nasty!

 

[bossel]

But this isn't really one of those trends for fashion or self expression. Or whatever reason's you heard why this was happening in America. I will tell you this from experience. I've met girls who have cut themselves on not because of some trend. These I've met were doing it because they were facing some problem with depression.

Of course. The question is why they choose this method of relieving their mental problems. & cutting is a kind of trend (in the US). In Europe or Japan there are also masses of people with depression, yet you don't have such a high number of teenagers cutting themselves.

I don't know why this has become a trend in the US, but I suppose it has something to do with media coverage or with a certain social environment that exists mainly in the US. If it's the latter, the phenomenon should stay largely confined to the US. If it's the media, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time that we have the same number of cutting teenagers in Europe & Japan.

 

[Elizabeth]

Singapore is the only place I had ever heard this was happening....and I don't think anyone can deny the high rate of genuine stress there.

http://www.singapore-window.org/sw01/010930a1.htm

 

[MasterGeek]

hello "isayhello", I must say that your link was quite disturbing...
I hope this isn't the latest hype among youngsters in Japan these days...

 

[MajideSaiaku]

its the latest "hype" the world over it seems.

i guess in the west, coupled with social stresses, and our comfortable western enviroment, we dont have as much reality to anchor us as we used to.

ide like to see someone find an african or other poorer nation national who self harms who isnt out of their heads =/.

 

[Pachipro]

I knew he used to be a porn film director, but where did you read his biography? Please tell me, I'd be interested in reading it too!

Here is the link you requested:

http://masamania.com/archives/2004/09/about_masamania.html

For non-Japanese visitors to his site, he has posted this link:

http://masamania.com/archives/2004/08/for_non_japanes.html

Be warned though, his language is quite explicit.