As a recovering self injurer of eleven years, I had high hopes for this film. What could have been a film that brought awareness to this difficult issue, Secret Cutting was an over-dramatized mess. Dawn was portrayed as the friendless school loser, which is frankly a stereotype I'm tired of seeing. The thing about a lot of self injurers is that they can be the girl/guy next door, the very last person you would ever expect. Furthermore, the portrayal of the actual self injury was more like an addict shooting up heroin, and at times, Dawn seemed almost insane. People who self harm are not crazy, not suicidal, and are not rushed to the hospital every week for life threatening self inflicted injuries (excepting of course the most extreme cases). I can't be the only one who is tired of film makers taking the easy way out for the sake of the added drama. In the mean time, unless you're looking for some over the top theatrics, hold out for a time when someone who actually cares about the issue decides to make a real movie.

This movie was very good but when others think you self harm because you want attention that's not true. i used to self harm, i used to cut myself with a razor blade and knives, for over 11 years just recently last year i stopped cutting myself and feel much better about myself. you don't just do it for attention but you feel you have a lot of pain bottled up inside you, well that's how i used to feel, in a lot of ways i can understand Dawn. i still find that i cope with my pain very difficultly especially when i need to take it out some how. but i'm trying, i've been seeing a psychiatrist and it really did,t help i'm not the kind to talk about my problems especially when you just sit there and stare blankly at a strangers face when they ask you so how do you feel and why do you feel you want to hurt yourself, i used to hate it i didn't like talking about my problems i felt my problems are my own and for me to solve.

This is not the best of movies out there; but for a made for TV movie its about ten to one hundred steps better that a lifetime movie. I was forced to watch in my Psychology class and while most of the class was gasping or wincing I was laughing from the over acting. The only nearly decent actress was Rhea Pearlman from "Cheers" who plays the understanding psychologist. All in All it offers a good glimpse into the life of those who cut and if anyone out there thinks that people would not cause pain to themselves in that manner it is all too real.I digress. Ms. Petters delivers a melodramatic performance which is really what this movie is. The overall sense of this movie seems suited to the health classrooms or as a training film for teachers so they can spot those cutting.

I love this movie. It's about a Girl who takes out her pain by cutting herself. And i'm just like the Character in some ways. I'm a cutter,and sometimes I do the eye brow thing. Hope you like it, if you never saw it before. The girl is a great actress for the job. The first time I saw the movie, i was about 10, now I'm 12 and This movie is my favorite one now. Thank's for Reading my comment. I love the movie, but I don't know who Directed it. "Painful Secrets" aka: "Secret cutting". Kimberlee Peterson's movies / TV shows are usually pretty cool. My friend saw it, and she told me about it, saying i really needed to see it. She was right, and I loved it and still do.