Expert: PLAY DOCTOR - 10/4/2008

Question
I live in: TN.
Age:21
Description: 5'10 slender female, 117lbs.

I have a question about something that I have been experiencing for the past 5 years, I have this strange lust for blood and cutting for it...I don't want just any blood...just mine. If I see a cut on myself, I want to ingest it. When I see a razorblade I get the urge to cut almost begging my boyfriend to let me do it for the blood. He doesn't want to see me get hurt but, I don't cut too deep...just enough to get a flow of blood so I can ingest it. I try to explain to my boyfriend that I recieve great strength and feel stronger when i cut because i have control, and power over my life... I have been to a doctor but, I couldn't go through with telling them in fear that they would lock me up in an facillity or something.
Is there something wrong with my obsession?
(i know i have anemia, would that be bad?)

Thank you,
Krystal


Answer
This specific fetish/desire is outside my realm of expertise - except that I know it does exist.  Not sure that is is quite a "fetish", per se, but there are people out there just like you.  You may want to do some reading about it, for example

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html


There are varying degrees of this and I would encourage you to seek some sort of professional help; so long as you are not at risk of hurting yourself, they will not lock you up.  If you are, well then, they are doing the best thing for you.

Of course, if you are anemic, cutting yourself certainly doesn't help matters.