Self Preservation or Self Harm?

Before I get into this post I want to post a quick warning, while these scars were created by a professional, they do resemble self-harm scars.  If you feel that viewing them may be a trigger to you, then you’re advised to skip this post and move on to the next.

Alright, now as I mentioned above, these scars were created by Arseniy Andersson for a client that wished to have scars that resemble self-harm scars.  The reason is that the client wanted to avoid military service in Russia, which evidently is avoidable if you can prove that you are a danger to yourself or others.  I think this is the first I’ve personally seen a scar used in such a manner.  The closest comparison I can think of is people getting scarification pieces that resemble dueling scars although in this case the scars aren’t meant to show off toughness, but rather to avoid army duty.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this.  Do you think this is a legitimate way to avoid service?  Do you think he’s exploiting his knowledge of self-harm?

71 thoughts on “Self Preservation or Self Harm?

  1. I think it seems like a lame excuse for trying to legitimize getting scarred and I would be surprised if the Russian military buys it.

  2. As a pacifist I am all for this. If being forced to join the army is avoidable by some scarification then good on him.

  3. As someone who did self-harm I find this a little hard to digest, It feels as if he is somehow taking advantage of other peoples misfortune.

    Thats just my opinion and I’m sure others will disagree but hey-ho.

  4. I think that this person is wrong in doing this. A few years back I would brand myself as my own form of “self harm” and a year or two after I joined the US Army. Most countries do Manditory service as a way to promote hard work and self pride. And I believe by this person doing that, they have none.

  5. Eh it could have been executed better. It really doesn’t look like SI to me.

    Also incredibly shitty reasoning, but I understand the desire to avoid serving. Pretty dishonorable way around it though.

  6. I am all for avoiding military service, but as a former cutter I hate this for so many reasons. It’s poorly executed, first of all. But also I think he’s taking for granted how much having SI scars, fake or real, effects your life. People that would never judge other modifications judge my scars.

  7. 1. It would be nice if there was ACTUALLY a click-through. Scrolling extra fast doesn’t prevent one from seeing it.

    2. This looks more like he got mauled by something, not SI. It’s too…chaotic. At least for me, and from what I’ve seen on others, SI is usually in a recognizably organized pattern. And they’ll all be/look the same age. Scars that show a (long) history of SI are usually layered or at least noticeably different ages.

    3. It’s not a legitimate way to avoid service. He’s not mentally unstable, no matter how much he is trying to appear differently.

    4. Yes, I think he’s exploiting his knowledge of self harm. That’s such a shitty way to avoid service. I know so many people who have REAL SI scars, myself included (though you can’t really see them on me). I’m going to assume that he’s not going to feel as though he has to hide his scars or wear long sleeves even though it’s hot outside. He won’t feel any shame or have to learn to live with them and what caused them. It’s likely not a big deal for him to show them because they’re not really self-inflicted. I have a feeling he’s going to get really sick of people assuming that as well. I’m honestly a little offended by him doing this. Serious mental illness and self-injury aren’t something to be…made light of? exploited? illegitimately used as an excuse? I’m not sure how to end that sentence. Point being: Not cool, bro.

    From an ex-self-injurer’s POV, this is just a really dumb idea. I feel somehow it’ll be judged more than if he got tattoos covering his arm because strangers will probably assume he’s “crazy”. Eventually I think he’ll regret this. Or not. He won’t have any sort of negative emotions attached to his wounds and future scars. Maybe he doesn’t give a shit.

    /rant.

  8. Oh. That 1st point directed at you, Rob, sounds more angry than intended. In any case, clickthrough = good (if just for the sake of others browsing). 🙂

    I was probably just still getting over my initial aggravation at this idea. -.-

  9. What Kat said…All of it! I understand not wanting to serve in the military but seriously to pretend to have a mental illness to do it?? Just move to Canada like all us Americans used to do.

  10. I agree with Kat. As a former self-injurer, I find this kind of offensive. This person is making light of a serious issue and showing disrespect to all of us who have legitimately struggled with self-injury and everything that comes with it. It’s also clear to me that he knows very little about actual self-injury. As Kat mentions, real SI is usually very methodical, uniform, and even organized, with sets of scars that are the same age. This is because (at least for me), SI is a very ritualistic behavior, an attempt to quell mental chaos through imposing physical order. And on a final note, I’d like to say that I’m surprised the artist agreed to do this. Anyway, that’s just my take on this, based on my own personal experience.

  11. I’m kind of in line with Betty.

    I would do almost anything to get rid of my SI scars which now may keep me from my dream jobs, for the assumption that this guy is abusing – that previous self-injurers have some kind of ongoing mental issue. No, i don’t think that military service should be mandatory, but he’s perpetuating a stereotype for his own gain that really disservices the rest of us.

  12. We’re talking about the Russian army right? That’s no fun place to be:

    Many young men are killed or commit suicide every year because of dedovshchina.[2][3] The New York Times reported that in 2006 at least 292 Russian soldiers were killed by dedovshchina (although the Russian military only admits that 16 soldiers were directly murdered by acts of dedovshchina and claims that the rest committed suicide).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_Russia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedovshchina

    Anyway, regardless of nation, saying this is offensive to SI is silly: how is inflicting permanent damage to your body to get out of obligations forced by society making fun of SI? He’s not doing it for the lulz nor is he mocking anybody.

    I’d like to see the arm after the scarification has healed

  13. This is fine. We’re all here because we choose to do what we want with out bodies. My arms are covered in scars from years of self harming and yeah, people think weirdly of you when they see them – but who cares. Each to their own. And I never trust that a brief news story is covering all perspectives and truths. The person who got scarified may have other reasons or just like how they look. Remember the concept of aesthetics?

  14. Also, choosing to be offended is your decision. I was a suicidal self harmer and i’m not offended. And making generalized statements about a country and its people is fucking stupid.

    And don’t accuse me of supporting this because I have a Russian name, I’m Australian.

  15. I understand completely if someone chooses to avoid military service in the Russian army. It’s famous for it’s human rights violations, I’ve understood that a number of soldiers die in the service alone (you know, not during war or other military mission but because of mis-treatment and bullying).

    Also, if you’re a Russian, or particularly of some other ethnicity, you really don’t have a choice of “just moving to Canada”, like Tiffany said. First, Russia is geographically quite a lot farther away from Canada than is the USA and doesn’t share a border with it. Second, it is really fucking hard for Russians to get a visa anywhere, and much harder for members of other ethnicities within Russia. The person is the picture has the privilege of being white, so we can assume that he is, or at least passes as, a “real” Russian, so getting a visa would maybe be possible under some circumstances – but not, I’d be willing to bet, if he’s about to be called to military service.

    There’s a human rights organisation called Union of the Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia. I think that says something that there’s a need for that kind of organisation for people forced to serve in the Russian army. I also think that avoiding service is an honorable choice anywhere and in any case, but in some countries, like in Russia, the military service is a lot more dangerous than on some others.

    I agree with nikolai on the point that it’s your own choice to get offended – this is not directed at any of the people here getting offended, the person with these scars doesn’t even know you exist! I used to cut too, but it doesn’t offend me in any way. I can clearly understand why someone would choose to have these scars to avoid military service – I just fear it might not be good enough reason.

  16. rest of the world might not understand it… but it is awesome way, to avoid it….
    I am hippy soul who avoided military service in my country when you didn’t have much choice you want it or not, but I failed at psychological test (one the line when you are not crazy but not good enough for army)
    I guess in Russia army is not the dream place where to be…nothing like pro army in Europe or US

    good job, I must say

  17. I think this is a great idea. I don’t think it is any more drastic than leaving one’s country and family to get away from military service. I hope the Russian military falls for it and it is worth the pain and the judgement he will have to go through for years to come.

  18. I agree with the people saying that this should have a click through, I was very surprised that there wasn’t one, since you’re always careful with posting offensive/nude material without it.

    On another note, I say kudos to this guy if it works. I don’t think that there’s anything morally wrong with what he did, and quite frankly I don’t think that anyone has the right to be offended by his actions than anyone has the right to be offended by anyones modifications.

    He’s obviously not perpetuating the stereotype, since he isn’t crazy enough to be off the hook for service on his mental state alone.. He’s just making use of it. Also, I have to point out that although SI doesn’t always indicate someone being ‘crazy’, it does still point to a sort of instability that the military might want to avoid. Not everyone involved in SI is crazy, but a lot of crazy people are involved in SI, so I wouldn’t really call it a stereotype.

  19. I am from Russia, I have avoided full army duty by few reasons, but I was in army, I am an officer. It is awful. Anyway, we have A LOT of opportunities and combinations incase to avoid army duty. What I have seen on that picture? Nothing good. Arseniy made really bad work for himself.
    All bod.Mod must be from heart, from soul, not from fear of army duty… And artists must refuse to ppl who really do not need any bodmod operations. I think so.
    I live in Russia, my frind now have issues with army. And if you have 15 000 rubels (aprox. 500 USD), you can start case with lawyers to avoid duty.
    99% of soldiers get to army trough law abusmet, so for a good lawyer there is not a problem to f**k up our army.

  20. PS: Without any scars guy could speak with psychologist in medical centre for the 300rub (aprox. 10 USD) and get out of there without being a soldier! It is true! We have too much corruption everywhere and sometimes things are much cheaper than everybody thinks…

  21. I am also a former Self injurer (over a decade, but *in recovery* for a few years now YAY) and.. for whatever reason I’m not offended by this, more saddened. But since I’m not exactly sure how Russian military works (only US military) .. if this is what one had to do then fine. But it’s kind of a shitty way to do it. And I agree, those don’t even look like *real* SI scarring… maybe it’ll look different when it’s healed

  22. @Golddust

    Petr, this guy
    1. had no money for legal justice
    2. had no time to earn some (oh yes, he had. 4 days approximately)
    3. i did know that guy, he’s a musician, and he can’t afford himself risk to be involved into military service.

    and as for the picture of scars.
    i just wanted to do it in the way it looks like SI, but it could be also continued and become some a tribal picture (NOT a thing which will be recognised by anyone as SI) after maxim will come back from his military comission.
    that was my reason.
    i couldn’t do cuts enough straight but didn’t want to do “common” SI cuts.
    may be it was wrong point for me.
    anyway, i sent this pic to bme just for having responses, so thank everyone for their opinion.

    PS
    about moving from russia:
    i worked about 1.5 years to GET the travel document (passport which is valid for traveling abroad from russia)
    ONE AND HALF fucking years.
    just to get permission to leave russia!
    although i do have implants, scars on my arms, etc.
    yes, i payd 0 rur 0 usd 0 eur for that.
    but i was laying in asylum for this, several days.
    and you know – right now i’m typing this message sitting happy in a cafe in Estonia and tommorrow i will have a flight to Germany from here.
    So the idea might work..

  23. @Kat: Jen and I had a discussion about using a click-through for this post before it went up. My first instinct was to hide it, as was hers, but after talking about it we came to the decision that because it wasn’t a photo of legitimate SI we would leave it visible. When it comes to actual SI photos we’ll always hide them behind a click-through.

  24. I’m a recovering (I suppose) self-injurer who’d been cutting for 2/3 of my life. Those who are offended? The phrase “it’s not about you” comes to mind. Though really, as the whole point of him getting the scars is an acknowledgment of the pain and social reaction to those who do SI…

    Anyway. Conscription is indefensible, and I support anyone who needs to get out of it.

  25. I don’t really see what all the fuss is about. All modifications, no matter WHAT they are, are done for personal reasons. Some people think that mods should have sentimental or otherwise significant meaning to the person. Some people shove their right to get a mod simply because they think it’s pretty in everyone’s faces.

    After all the arguments in the past about motivations behind modifications, we’re going to be hypocritical assholes by telling this guy his motivation is wrong and offensive? Smh. Get off your high horse.

    the bottom line is.. who fucking CARES? Everyone is offended by something, and not everybody is offended by the same thing. If you don’t like a pretend self harm piece, don’t get one. Get over it.

  26. done by a professional? a professional what, mutilator? hack?
    the term professional seems to be getting used a bit to liberally lately.
    there is no reason to see subcutaneous tissue here…..

  27. @Rob: I figured that was the reason. The more I look at it, the less it bothers me and the less it looks like SI. (Personally, I find…pretty much nothing “triggering” because I’ve desensitized myself, but I know a lot of people who would be.) *shrug*

    @critic: Arseniy has a lot of interesting (I mean that in a good way) mods, has done a lot of good work, and, from my understanding, is a very good modification artist. I wouldn’t count him out of the loop just because of this one thing (even if it kinda irks me).

  28. These may not look like typical SI scars in their patterned layed layout, but i think something like this, especially partially healed, would be more likely to convince someone who is not an expert in self harm. The chaotic layout, the varying sizes and depths, seem to me to suggest mental instabilty more then some nice neat lines over and over in the same places.

    I support ANYONE who doesnt want to die for their country. Not all of us are so deluded to think that we should sacrifice our lives because people higher up in the chain of command say we have to. You military doesnt give a damn about you. they care about meeting their objectives. and i cant imagine how bad it must be in the russian army.

    If you are offended by this, then i dont think you fully understand the desperation involved. Yes some people SI for real, but this “SI” disguise tactic, while kind of extreme, is in no way designed to upset you. its not mockery. its not making light of a serious problem. it is attempting to use that perception of people who SI to his advantage because he doesnt want to DIE. get over yourselves. its his life, not yours.

  29. I wanted to join the US military…. They won’t take me because of my now YEARS OLD self-inflicted scars… ticks me off honestly. I can understand it from their perspective. …but anyone who knows me knows that it’s long behind me. I WANT to serve my country… and they won’t let me… pisses me the f*ck off…

  30. Kat, I just looked at his work on facebook. I see an OK piercer who jumped into heavy mod work, if those portfolios showcase his best work (as a portfolio should) I’d hate to see his mistakes. I see a number of surface piercings done with straight and curved barbells, I see anchors fresh and not sitting flush to the skin, I see many fresh pics and not so many healed ones…and skin removal done way deeper then needed…
    of course this is my opinion, but what do I know I’ve only been around the industry/community for 10+ years.

  31. this isn’t offensive to me, I can’t imagine how much it must suck to be forced in to a russian military I know I would do whatever it took to get out of that mess. yeah he might regret it later on but he probably would have died in the military so i think it’s probably worth it.

  32. @critic: chill. i said /from my understanding/. maybe i’m wrong. I’ve honestly only seen his work from posts on modblog. no need to be a sarcastic asshole.

  33. I didn’t even bother to read through the posts, as a nihilist, I don’t really care what you guys think.
    But I’m also a pacifist and if this keeps him outta the military and ALIVE which won’t happen in the services, then more power to him.
    He shouldn’t have to enlist!!

    FUCK WAR.

  34. I have lived with a “mental illness” my whole life to varying degrees (as well as have many people I love) and I know it is nothing to be made light of. I don’t believe this is what’s happening here. In complete honesty, being an immigrant now thankfully living in Canada the most offensive thing on this page is Tiffany’s comment about just moving to another country. People lose their lives trying to achieve that, wake up.

  35. I get why someone would do this to try and avoid service in the fucked up situation that is the Russian military.

    Why BME thinks this is a good idea to publish photographs is more puzzling. If, as they seem to imply, they are supportive of those in (and beyond) the modification community who have self harmed (and for those who still do) then why put this on the web.

    Worst case scenario this gets back to the Russian military and they crack down on SI conscripts, thus making people with real ongoing SI problems forced to do their service and possibly suffer severe mental trauma.

    Way to go BME.

  36. That looks all professional like, not like self-harm scars, at least to me. Like graffiti maybe, but not like random acts of self infliction. The design is too well done. lol.
    as far as getting out of duty…do what you must!…hope it worked!

  37. Arseniy, do not play fool here. Every mother, father, boy, male knows that he will face Russian military when he will turn 18 (or after University). Everybody who want to avoid it are ready. 18 years! Think about it! 18 years! You can save 50 000 – 120 000 in that time (aprox. 3 000 usd), spent them for your safety and be free of charge! And if he has not money, he can go to psychoplogist and make them belive in his schizophrenia or osmthing near it, that will cost aprox. 300 – 600 reb (10 – 20 USD) and about week to make this in right side. There are minuses – no driver license, no guns, no knives, no service in security or goverment, but no Army too! Think about it!
    If your customer has only two days – it is his fault. And believe me, fresh scars won’t scare military medics. They will eat him alive. Anyway, this is bullshit to do that and to show that as bodymodification, man.This is not bod.mod. This is mutilation.

  38. as a former self-harmer, in my head all i’m thinking is “what right does he have to use that excuse when he obviously has no idea?”

    i know every self harmer is different – however i have never seen self harm marks like that – they’re very large and look more like he has been mauled by a large animal….

    as a pacifist i say, OK if he doesn’t want to serve fine – though there must be a better option? however on the other hand, i almost hope they see through this and make him serve anyway.

  39. As an ex-self harmer (with a sense of humor, to hell with all this serious emo talk), I think it would be a lot cheaper if he just cut himself. lolz. Its sort of ridiculous that he paid someone for that when just a 50 cent razor blade coulda done the trick.

  40. I don’t really know what to say here. Well.. My first thought was: Good for him. To avoid army duty.. I’ve heard some mad stories over the years. If this goes through, which I hope it does, good for him. And the point was for the scarification to resemble self-harm scars.. I’ve myself been self-harming myself for years when I was younger, but this is on another level. People have gone further than this just to avoiud army duty. But I think this is legit.

    As Dan said – fuck the system.

  41. Is it just me or do these scars look nothing like typical si scars?

    All those smooth curves and arcs are really a-typical, and since it’s skin removal rather than just cutting I think anyone with any experience with si would immediately know something was up.

  42. My only opinion is a sad shake of my head at anyone who would belittle the suffering of those who actually injure themselves.

  43. Fuck everyone making this post about THEMSELVES. “I’m a self-harmer and this is why I’m offended by this.” That’s such bullshit. Stop policing people. You’re part of the reason you “can’t get your dream job,” or whatever. Stop judging and saying that this is wrong. It’s this person’s own choice and it seems they did it out of desperation.

    I’m utterly disgusted by everyone posting on here about how this is wrong. If he regrets the decision later, IT DOES NOT AFFECT YOU. You’re gonna stare at his arm and be like, “well that’s not legitimate self injury”?? I think that’s pathetic and juvenile and the self-righteous self-harmers who believe his scars aren’t legitimate self-injury scars on HIS body should take a good look at how they want their scars viewed by society and stop being so obnoxious against someone trying to protect themselves.

  44. And to the “self harmers” who are offended and say things like “what right does he have ti use that excuse when he has no idea?” Stfu. There is no legitimate reason for cutting yourself. And why do it on the arm where
    everyone can see? Attention whores. Yes, poor you. You’ve cut yourself. And you expect, what? Sympathy? Get a fucking life.

  45. And about this being a “trigger” do you see it and think “damn! I’ve been slacking, better go cut myself pronto!” Self harming is not a mental illness, its a cry for attention.

  46. this is the thread that keeps on giving. Rich, the only thing you’re accomplishing is making yourself look ignorant and insensitive. Seems like you’re the one who wants attention.

    tor2, I think most or all of us agree. This doesn’t even resemble SI. Not in the slightest.

  47. I’m also really impressed that everyone has a preconceived notion of what self-harm looks like. So self injuries have to be small razor blade lines across your wrist? He did this to get out of army duty, don’t you think he has to be more excessive with the scarring?

    I’m still confused why anyone is in shock about this person’s choice on their body. Maybe we should start a community for modified people where they’ll be accepted for their choices, no matter what it is. hmmmm

  48. I first saw this on Arseniy’s Facebook page and then and now, I still find this to be very offensive. Regardless of the reason it was done, it very much exploits self injury. I myself had problems with self injury lasting for over 10 years, so call me biased, but I find this offensive.

  49. Also, I’m completely sickened by some of these responses. News flash, not everyone does it for attention. Those who don’t, don’t cut their arms. They hide it to the best of their ability. They don’t want sympathy, they just want to fucking cope.

  50. Not everyone has to join the Russian army either and he clearly didn’t want to. How can you possibly find this offensive? I’m legitimately curious. Is it because it detracts from the issue of self harm (which I don’t see) or because he has these scars and he didn’t actually have a problem?

    I find offense in people complaining about this person’s choices to get out of having to serve in the fucking military. I would understand if there was no motive behind it.

  51. @Rachie: I (used to) cut on my arms. I never did that for attention. Ever. I wore long sleeves in warm weather until I felt that my scars were reasonably faded. I know many others who have SI scars on their arms who hide it with long sleeves in 95 degree weather. Anyone who gives enough of a shit to hide it, will likely do so no matter where the location or circumstance.

    @annoyed: There are better (and probably easier) ways to get out of it than this. It’s easy to fake mental instability, even without SI scars.

    @rich: Wow. You’re a piece of work, aren’t you? And even if SI is/was merely a “cry for attention”, wouldn’t it be worrisome to find out what the need for attention was in the first place? Something’s up if the only way you can get attention is to harm yourself.

  52. @Kat: But this is what he chose, regardless of if there are “better” ways. And what everyone seems to be missing here is that this is his choice, not yours, it doesn’t affect you no matter how you look at it. So for everyone getting offended by this, I almost just think it’s some kind of selfish ego problem.

  53. But it DOES affect me. It affects you too. You see it, you react to it, meaning you’re affected by it. It may not be a large part of my life, but it does affect me/anyone who sees it.

    You seem offended that we’re getting offended. With your logic, our problems don’t affect you, so why should you care?

  54. Motives are good… And Number 5 (Noah) – I learned to work and study really hard when studying Technical Chemistry at the University. In 8 months Austrian mandatory military service right after, I learned how to function as a non-thinking robot. Brain-killing shit this was. And no harder than successfully studying a really tough sientific subject. And in the army? I watched a lot of people learning to drink excessively. And quite some stupid macho idiots learned to be a bit more macho, with a big fucking gun in hand. Did I learn ONE SINGLE useful thin in the army… hmmmm…. oh…. lets see…. oh yes one thing. One single thing. I was able to hit most 50cm diameter targets when shooting first time ever at 300 yards distance. Most of the others too. 300m is far away. Enemies can do that too (not to talk about artillery, planes with their bombs, mines and all the other shit). A lot of chances to die without even seeing the enemy. Oh no war is shit, and all those military warheads are so.

    But one thing: Austrian army is not violating the mayndatory soldiers. Russian army is. If that is a way of escaping the russian army’s madness: DO IT, DO IT, DO IT.

    But, when I see that pic… Honestly, that is artwork, and it looks artwork. That is too obvious. It looks like futuric´stic writing, but definitely not like SI. So hope that all kind of strongly visible bodymods are exclusion reasons (In Austria they are).

  55. But it DOESN’T affect you. It’s HIS body. I didn’t need to join the Russian army (I’m guessing you don’t either), you don’t have to endure the pain of the procedure. It’s his arm and just like you have the choice to put on your body what you want to, so does he.

    I’m offended because you’re policing someone on how they should treat their body for their benefit and that’s complete bullshit. Policing what’s right and wrong regarding the body is not something meant to be brought into THIS community.

  56. I think the very real suffering he would likely have to endure in mandatory service, which is (imho) a violation of someone’s human rights, something which almost none of you had to face, outweighs the need to be sensitive to people (who usually live in much less threatening situations) who choose/have chosen to cut as their own therapy for their own issues. Whether these issues are something serious like anguish from childhood sexual abuse, or the usual self esteem, emotional instability/rush/sense of control etc.
    Emos getting butthurt vs man rightfully wanting to avoid brutally abusive situation for several years in the most straightforward way he knows how… STFU you guys, your hurt feelings and sense of entitled ownership over a disorder are less important than his right to avoid, oh, say… Hell on earth :p

  57. I’m not “policing” him. I’m not fucking saying that I’m going to try to arrest him for doing what he wants with his body. I’m just saying I don’t necessarily think it was the best idea.

    You’re policing me by telling me it’s wrong to police people. Everyone does that. Everyone had their opinions. I chose to share mine. You chose to share yours. We don’t agree.

  58. Rob, how about thoughts about your posting this?

    Some guy in Russia sees this, gets pissed because someone’s shirking his “duty to the Motherland,” prints a screencap, and sends it to some office in the Russian government. Suddenly, people who really do have SI issues might have a harder time proving their case and staying out of the army. The army might even try to track down this particular guy and *boom* he’s press-ganged. With a harder-than-usual time ahead of him because this post and the discussion, right here, shows he tried to game the system.

    Probably won’t happen. The odds are ASTRONOMICALLY against it, so badly that if it happens I’ll buy a lottery ticket. But the *possibility* is there.

    Oh, and, given all the safeguards the old dueling societies used, I don’t think dueling scars show all that much toughness.

  59. I bet our Russian military medics wasn’t fooled by those scars. I know them, they are strond and the can close their eyes on many many health and mental problems incase just to have a new soldier)) These scasr doesn’t look like it is selfharming, so it can’t be a good reason not to go to army.

  60. Okay, guys, i’ve got the detailes.

    As i expected, this stuff worked. it might not work in St.Petersburg or Moscow, but the guy was cheked in Murmansk so he was successfully sent to a psychologist who gave him a diagnosys which doesn’t fit russian army military services.
    but he still have to be observed in next several years, etc.

    what to say about ethic side of question…
    i didn’t charge any money from this guy (yea, coz i don’t think too that this is a “professional” scarification and all that stuff)
    the guy was saved from russian army

    i think those two points tells fucking much more than all the 67 previous comments with blamings and disclaimers.
    U know, when your friend will have to go to russian army in 3-5 days, i would like to look into your “honest” eyes.
    even if he is a looser and forgot about army duty or so. he’s still your friend.
    and the morale is thatthe fucking “bodymod ethics” is not a thing which will let me lose my friend, does it make sence for you?

    hope you are all having a good day, even those of you who are trying to shit with bricks in proud and glory of SI.
    I didn’t want to offend anyone, really.
    And please remind my words and remind that you were trying to be dicks when You will have Your friend in such a situation.
    😉

    – Make pieRce, not war! (C)

  61. I don’t think this guy is insulting self-injury or making light of it. My only issue is it’s not very realistic looking but since it worked getting him out of the military then good for him. Plus, he’s going to have to stick to his SI story for years if he wants to stay out of the military.

  62. Oh my God, former self harmers are so fucking entitled. “He should just have left his home country, because otherwise I feel offended!” Stop thinking there isn’t anything worse than your own problems. I do have SI scars myself, but at least visible places were not my first pick. Then you’re just stupid. I know there may not be any places left if it’s an addiction but then you should have sought help somewhat earlier. Please don’t judge this man, being in the army is worse than having others see your self harm scars. But if you want to live in your own world of self-pity thats fine too, just don’t expect any sympathy from me.

  63. This is an old post, but I felt compelled to comment. This man did nothing wrong. He had every right to do whatever it took to avoid his own senseless death or abuse. As a former self injurer myself I feel we have a duty to empathise with this individual.

    I self injured when my circumstances became overwhelming. Is that not precisely what this gentleman found himself doing? To escape overwhelming conditions (potentially death) he has been left wearing these scars (with the attached stigma) for the rest of his life.

    He may not have acquired these scars in a desperate attempt to directly relieve anxiety (as I did), but he did acquire them through his own unique suffering and what must have been severe distress. This was his way of surviving circumstances we (particularly anyone posting from anywhere other than Russian) cannot comprehend. He is now suffering judgement from those more privileged than himself.

    The above ought to sound very familiar to any self injurers out there, and as people who have suffered ourselves we ought to show more intelligence and understanding when posting. Anyone who would prefer this human being face death on the off chance that he “belittled” the plight of self injurers must be stunningly self absorbed. It is that self absorbed attitude that paints self injurers in a bad light, not this gentleman.

    My only criticism is that this was posted at all. Those marks would easily identify him, and if the Russian Military ever came across this post I am sure he would suffer severe consequences.

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