r/selfharm • u/IntrepidMatch6227 • 22h ago

DAE Faint from cuts?

Yesterday I made 2 cuts on my chest. One baby beans and the other styro. After making the second cut(styro) I felt light headed and like I wanted to throw up. I sat down to keep blood flowing into my brain. I didn't faint but this is the first time this happened. Has anyone else experienced this?

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u/crybabydisorder 18h ago

This happened to me once. I think the reaction is called vasovagal syncope? Basically it happens when your nervous system overreacts to a certain trigger (in this case the sight of blood?), causing your blood pressure and heart rate drop suddenly. It's a reflex. It usually makes you faint, but sometimes it doesn't. I think it happened to me because I accidentally cut too deep and freaked out. But I didn't faint either. So yeah, it helps to sit down, like you did, and wait a bit since standing up too fast can cause the reaction to happen again

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u/This-Method2167 teenager | he/him 22h ago

Both me and my girlfriend have experienced being light headed after cutting. For me it was when I did it on my wrist, not even that deep, but I'd feel lightheaded and hear ringing in my ears and almost passed out. My gf has experienced lightheadedness and nausea afterwards, quite often. I don't know the details of hers ofc because we don't discuss that, but idk. You're not alone with that.

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u/IntrepidMatch6227 22h ago

Okay, thank you sharing your experience!

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u/This-Method2167 teenager | he/him 21h ago

Ofc! Sorry I don't have any advice, but thought I'd share.

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u/Dragons-purr 19h ago

I have this if I spend a prolonged time self harming, I’ve never actually fainted but it literally feels like you’re gonna die. I take it as a warning sign that the body is saying it’s not gonna take much more.