“cutting” your opinion?

In the brain there are numerous different chemical compounds called neurotransmitters. These act as chemical messengers between the nerve cells. Serotonin and noradrenaline are two such neurotransmitters and have various functions that we know of. When serotonin and noradrenaline are released from nerve cells in the brain they act to lighten mood. When they are reabsorbed into the nerve cells, they no longer have an effect on mood. It is thought that when depression occurs, there may be a decreased amount of serotonin and noradrenaline released from nerve cells in the brain.

Duloxetine works by preventing serotonin and noradrenaline from being reabsorbed back into the nerve cells in the brain. This helps prolong the mood lightening effect of any released serotonin and noradrenaline. In this way, duloxetine helps relieve depression.

When your Doctor stopped your medication, it caused the nerve cells to re-uptake your serotonin which effectively lowers the amount of serotonin available to have a positive effect on your mood. So by self-harming you are just using a different brain chemical to help improve your mood.

Endorphins are often referred to as the body’s natural ‘heroin’ or ‘opiate’, endorphins are one of the brain’s pleasure chemicals that produce feelings of well-being. ‘Runner’s high’ is linked to the release of endorphins during physical stress and endorphins are also released when the body is injured to protect us from feeling too much pain. Some research indicates that those who self-injure have lower levels of endorphins and their acts of self-injury are an attempt to restore those levels to normal. For some it may take an act of self-injury to release the endorphins that can help end an emotional state that is negatively impacting their life.