"I used to cut myself or jump out of airplanes, trying to find something new to push up against because sometimes everything else felt too easy. I was searching for something deeper, something more. I tried everything. I always felt caged, closed in, like I was punching at things that weren't there. I always had too much energy for the room I was in."—Angelina Jolie in a recent interview with Parade Magazine.
Sounds glamorous doesn't it? It isn't. Here's the grim reality:
- One in five females engage in some sort of self-injury.
- More than 90 percent of people who self-injure begin harming themselves during their teen years.
- Health care officials report that self-injury cases have doubled in the past three years.
- These numbers are expected to continue to rise.
Why are girls cutting? Because they are running out of ways to cope. Angelina Jolie described it as feeling caged. I'd put it another way—trapped. Trapped by the pressures of a world that doesn't recognize the Savior. Trapped by an image of perfection that is unattainable yet irresistible. Trapped by the lie that who you are isn't good enough and never will be. That kind of containment can make you want to reach for anyone or anything that gives you a moment of release, even if it's a blade or a pin. But if you cut, you know it doesn't feel like jumping out of an airplane. Once the adrenaline rush is gone, it's a dark addiction that isolates you and only amps up the feelings of hopelessness. Why is that? Because your body is a temple of the Most High God, not a punching bag for you to unleash your frustration on. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom youhave received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.Therefore honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). God never intended for you to take out your stress on yourself. His Word is rich with promises of hope and practical guidance for how to cope with the pressures of life. If you are trapped in pattern of self-injury, you need to tell someone. Find a mentor who can hold you accountable and point you toward God's truth when you are tempted to inflict pain. Don't let the world tell you that secrets are normal and pain is attractive. Instead, expose this area of your life to the bright light of God's truth and enlist the help of some wise Christians as you seek to rebuild your temple.