Compulsory "cutting" is often a response to emotional trauma. It often manifests in bipolar or borderline affected people, especially during teenage years.
but on the "body modification" side of things, there's also a method of scaring motives into the skin, allthough that's usually done through burning rather than cutting the skin.
both aren't especially new phenomena.
the combination of "cutting star-signs" into the skin kind of confuses me, though. How were you confronted with this "activity"?! I guess a teenager who's cutting themself in psychological distress, when being confronted, might come up with the excuse they are "just etching star signs"... who knows they might even be doing star signs, but the self-harm-motivation probably comes from somewhere deep.
I know a few individuals my age (mid 40) who've dealt with these issues in their young years. They all managed to face their issues and have grown into healthy adults. If that's what you are referring to, I can share some more if you have questions about it...
Thank you for this Frank, it means a lot.
I have not read so much about why teens may be hurting their body (never heard of burning, but it does seem plausible)
I think that these days it is very easy to find different things online, (not sure if checking other cultures, like reading too much about Asian cultures, i.e. harakiri, in a lighter form of course)
Teens who may want to feel that they do something extraordinary, or who feel they do not fit in with other teens - tend to search online more.
I will try to be near this person, but not to overwhelm it (because this could backfire), and to see if this will continue. Sometimes, teens tend to experiment, and if they think something is not interesting enough, they just move on.
This one is a smart little teen, so I am hopeful.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
if it's affecting a person dear to you, be very mindful about the subject and treat it with discretion. It can be threatening to them to have to confront the topic directly.
https://www.nami.org/co-occurring-conditions/self-harm/
edit: also, if the cutting isn't recent, if it's already all old scars and no fresh cuts, take it easy, maybe the kid is stable, might already be learning to deal with their issues in a different manner. Just providing a safe and trusted environment means a lot.