Behind the Smile, the Person Behind the Scars

Behind the smile, the person behind the scars

Could you imagine bringing harm to yourself and enjoying it? Do you know anyone who does? Chances are you do. Self injury is not a new phenomenon, and it is becoming more common. In one survey made by the Canadian mental health association , approximately 13% of teenagers who responded indicated that they engaged in self-injurious behaviours.
I, your classmate, was once one of that 13%
And all of you here, except maybe one or two, never knew that, until I stated that previous sentence, and I am sure you wouldn't have even been able to tell if I didn't say it.   I bet you think everyone who cuts does it to be "cool" or for "attention" or to be called "emo"
My goal, by the end of this speech, is that you realize the person behind the scars. The person who is bullied and who is called a freak and criticized for doing something that they need to do to survive. Before all the statistics and people who self injure, let me tell you a little about my story.

The first time I inflicted self harm purposely on my body was when I was 12, the school year of 2009-2010. I was different, I looked different, I was quiet and my best friend was dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide that kept bringing me down with her. I didn't know how to cope without her if she ever would turn to suicide. I heard about people who "cut" themselves to cope with stress, anger and unreleased feelings, and I figured I could try it once, and never go back, even if it helped. That friend, she died on July 26, 2010 in a car accident at 3:00 in the morning. After that phone call, I lost it, I didn't know what to do, but somehow I knew I would be able to cope. I only cut for 5 months, I'd be clean in no time, it wouldn't take long. Then came September of 2011, and I still wasn't able to stop for more than a couple weeks. A whole year later.   That one cut, I did now, two years ago, became an addition. I can't even go and see her anymore, but I...