Recent pictures of Lindsey Lohan with cuts up and down her frail arms reveal that she has been cutting herself. In a recent article, her parents confirm that those cuts were indeed self-inflicted. Self-mutilation is a common affliction in teenage girls, and first gained popularity in the 1990's. Though it is a wide-spread problem, it often doesn't make a lot of sense to the rest of the world. I remember a friend of mine in high school taking me into her room with the door closed and confiding in me that she had been cutting herself. I remember being speechless! I had never heard of self-mutilation, and I had no idea what she was going through or what to say to her.
Having researched the subject to some extent, I've learned that girls cut themselves as a way to deal with the pain they are facing. They don't know how to cope with all of the stress and trials they encounter, so they begin to harm themselves as a coping mechanism. Once they start doing this, they repeat it until someone stops them or they severely damage themselves. Statistics show that this type of behavior is a lot more common than we would think.
Lindsey Lohan seems to have everything that this world has to offer...fame, money, looks, talent...but clearly this wasn't enough for her. In reality she is just like every other depressed young lady out there. The fancy clothes, cars, jewelry, and celebrity parties obviously haven't made her happy. If only Lindsey could experience the true satisfaction and joy that only come from Christ! What a transformation we would see!
If you are reading this and have struggled with cutting yourself, I want you to know that you're not alone! I also want you to know that you can be freed from this bondage by Jesus Christ. In this world we will experience pain, suffering, affliction, trials, and tribulations...in fact, it's a guarantee. People deal with this pain in many harmful ways, but only Christ can bring true healing. If you are suffering from cutting yourself, I beg you to tell someone and get help. There is absolutely no shame in getting counseling. Give your pain to the Lord and take heart, dear sister, because the Lord has the power to deliver you from this!
