cutter

An often, but not always, derogatory term for someone who practices self-injury (also known as self-harm and self-mutilation) by scratching or cutting his or her skin with a sharp object.

It is usually a symptom of mental illness.

The vast majority of self-injurers hurt themselves out of negative emotions, including, but not limited to, anger, self-hatred, depression, or numbness; they also try to hide the cuts with clothing, jewelry, or make-up. Some misled persons cut themselves for attention, or to make themselves look cool, which warrants pity, not scorn. Some fit into both categories. Cutters who do not hide their injuries do not necessarily fit into the latter group; they have often given up trying to hide it, or regard it as something that should not be hidden, either because it is a valid "lifestyle choice" or because they are not ashamed of their pain, even though they want to stop.

Cutting and other forms of self-injury, such as burning, eating disorders*, banging, and hair-pulling, can be a coping mechanism for many. It is NOT a suicide attempt, and some suicidal people hurt themselves so that they can cope with their emotions and _avoid_ suicide.

Cutters can not be categorized by age, gender, appearance, or clique. Some self-injurers have been doing it as long as they can remember, i.e. as toddlers, and there are cutters who are in their thirties and probably older. They are male and female. They are preps, nerds, skaters, goths, punks, and any other label you can think of. They are parents, small children, and yes, teenagers.

*This is not to say that all people with eating disorders should be regarded as self-injurers, only that there is some overlap between the two groups.

Previous urban dictionary contributor: Cutters are also easily recognized by their poorly dyed hair, or oversized JNCO style jeans. Most basically, cutters are the urban and suburban equivalent of rural white trash, in that they invariably come from families with low education and or income.
Me: You don't know what you're talking about.

1637👍 406👎