argument top image

Is violence always wrong?
Back to question

Self-directed violence is always wrong

The violence that is inflicted upon oneself can lead to suicide or physical disability. Such harm can be in the shape of physical torture, like cutting, electrocuting, or passively harming oneself.
Ethics Violence

The Argument

Self-harm is associated with psychological stresses and disorders such as depression, social anxiety, and PTSD. 17% of adolescents and 13% of young adults have engaged in self-injury at some point in their lives. [1] People who engage in self-harm often have poor coping skills. Self-harm is how they deal with psychological pain and manage difficult emotions. Not knowing how to regulate or understand their emotions, such as feeling worthlessness, anger, or loneliness often contribute to their need to self-harm. Such type of violence is wrong, but there is a valid reason why it happens in the first place. Though individuals who self-harm may have difficulty seeing how their actions are wrong, most people understand that self-harm is wrong. Many people do all they can (through individual care, campaigning, or raising awareness) to stop their loved ones from self-harming. With rising awareness, offering help, and advising doctor's counsel, such violence can be prevented.[2]

Counter arguments

Self-harm is often a cry for attention because some people believe that a way to move forward and discipline themselves is to punish themselves for any inconvenience. Not all those who engage in self-injury have deep psychological issues. The influence of online images on self-harm has promoted it as a trend in young people rather than serious issues. According to evidence, 51% of young people who report self-harm had previously engaged on the internet searching for self-harm related content. [3] In such cases, media exposure on the Internet leads to self-injury rather than not having good coping mechanisms.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.healtheuropa.eu/new-study-reveals-more-about-why-people-self-harm/97607/
  2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350950
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5614108/
This page was last edited on Wednesday, 11 Nov 2020 at 15:19 UTC

Explore related arguments