Is self harm a sin?

[IzzyD]

I used to cut myself and I knew it was wrong but my life just seemed to have been turned upside down. My parents had got divorced and I hadn’t seen my dad or any of his side of my family in two years and my grandmother on my mum’s side had died. I was being bullied at school and we didn’t have much money because my mum couldn’t get a job. I became for some reason very scared of people and was terrified to leave the house but felt so claustrophobic inside, I’m still trying to deal with this. I know that’s no excuse but I was so miserable and felt like I wasn’t worth anything however I knew God didn’t want me to do it so I managed to stop. Even a year later I still have urges to do it and I’m afraid that this is a sin.

 

[savedOneByFaith]

I used to cut myself and I knew it was wrong but my life just seemed to have been turned upside down. My parents had got divorced and I hadn’t seen my dad or any of his side of my family in two years and my grandmother on my mum’s side had died. I was being bullied at school and we didn’t have much money because my mum couldn’t get a job. I became for some reason very scared of people and was terrified to leave the house but felt so claustrophobic inside, I’m still trying to deal with this. I know that’s no excuse but I was so miserable and felt like I wasn’t worth anything however I knew God didn’t want me to do it so I managed to stop. Even a year later I still have urges to do it and I’m afraid that this is a sin.

It’s a difficult fight to fight. I would look for help, through Catholic Social Services or through your parish priest. I, too suffered from this, and realized that It’s a first-world problem. Think about all you have in this world to be grateful for in this life, and try to celebrate the small wins. If nothing else, you can say, I don’t have to walk 15 miles to get to a safe water source. It helps to look at things in perspective sometimes [BIBLEDRB]1 Corinthians 6:19-20[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[JRKH]

Dear one,
I wish to be very careful in responding as I do not wish to add to your burdens. So please accept this as only a very rough response and one that needs to be addressed with your confessor.

Yes - the self harm that you describe is a sin. That said, the gravity of the sin -culpability etc will be effected by various factors.
The fact that you recognize that it is wrong and have stopped for a year because of this knowledge, would tend to increase the gravity of the matter should you return to doing it. On the other hand the things that you are going through in your life may act to decrease the gravity…

This is why I say that it is very important that you take this matter to your confessor.

Peace
James

 

[Daizies]

My best recommendation is to go and speak to your doctor. I know it’s embarrassing to talk about self-harming, but there are treatments out there that can be very helpful, and certain behavioural therapies that can help you learn how to handle your emotions without self-harming. I can’t be more specific, as I’m not a professional and we aren’t supposed to give medical advice anyways, but go talk to your doctor (or Catholic Social Services as someone else suggested) - there is help out there so you don’t have to go it alone.

 

[aragonjohn1]

I used to cut myself and I knew it was wrong but my life just seemed to have been turned upside down. My parents had got divorced and I hadn’t seen my dad or any of his side of my family in two years and my grandmother on my mum’s side had died. I was being bullied at school and we didn’t have much money because my mum couldn’t get a job. I became for some reason very scared of people and was terrified to leave the house but felt so claustrophobic inside, I’m still trying to deal with this. I know that’s no excuse but I was so miserable and felt like I wasn’t worth anything however I knew God didn’t want me to do it so I managed to stop. Even a year later I still have urges to do it and I’m afraid that this is a sin.

You are in my prayers

Shalom
God bless

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Dear one,
I wish to be very careful in responding as I do not wish to add to your burdens. So please accept this as only a very rough response and one that needs to be addressed with your confessor.

Yes - the self harm that you describe is a sin. That said, the gravity of the sin -culpability etc will be effected by various factors.
The fact that you recognize that it is wrong and have stopped for a year because of this knowledge, would tend to increase the gravity of the matter should you return to doing it. On the other hand the things that you are going through in your life may act to decrease the gravity…

This is why I say that it is very important that you take this matter to your confessor.

Peace
James

This is true. Because we are made in the image and likeness of God, self harm is a sin against charity. That said, most people don’t self harm without having some sort of underlying mental illness or infliction, thus minimizing the gravity of the sin.

I second taking this to your confessor. I used to cut my wrist when I was in high school. It relieved the stress and anxiety of the issues I had to deal with at home. During the time I was doing this, I wasn’t a practicing Catholic. When I returned, I had to confess doing so. My confessor said something to me regarding it. I wish I could remember exactly what he said because it was so touching, which, now that I’ve had him for a regular confessor for so long really doesn’t fit his normal way of doing things. He can be very unsympathetic. Not mean, but not sympathetic. It had something to do with God, divine providence, suffering and not fully understanding the why part, and having to trust in God’s divine providence that all our suffering is for our benefit. He said it much more eloquently, though. Come to think of it, this must have been one of those things inspired by the Holy Spirit.

 

[savedOneByFaith]

Izzy,

This is definitely something to take to your confessor. Between your postings, I can understand the whole reasoning why. You may want to take your issue about being conceived through AI to your confessor as well, as he should be able to answer that more completely than any of us on this forum. Personally, I think your feeling of worthlessness in the other post is contributing to the self-mutilation / harm, and looking at the two issues as one may help you to see the whole problem rather than compartmentalizing it into different “symptoms”.

 

[Rachel95]

I used to self harm also, and when I confessed to my priest that I self harmed, that I attempted suicide and suicidal thoughts (but hadn’t in over a year), the first thing he said to me was that mental illness is not a sin. That it’s not my fault for the messed up thoughts that depression can cause. He repeatedly ensured me that none of those things were sinful and after making sure that I had spoken with my parents (I’m 17) an got help he absolved me of my other sins and told me to pray for others who were less fortunate because it makes you remember how much God has blessed you, which really helps.
My advice to you is to just go talk with your priest next time you’re in confession, be honest and I’m sure he will agree
God bless,
Rachel