" The sheer intensity of a child's feelings means they cannot be repressed without severe consequences. The thicker the prison wall grow, says Miller, the more future emotional development is impeded. When that wall is especially impenetrable, and the pain behind it is overwhelming, cutting is the strategy some use to try to break through and achieve some sense of control. "

― Marilee Strong , A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain