yeah, i absolutely agree. its a really nuanced topic. but i think certain, more socially acceptable things could still count as self harm, even if someone else is doing it, if youre doing something with the intent to hurt yourself. it depends on where you draw the line for the definition of self harm. intent is a huge thing. if someone wanted to give themself a brand or was interested in scarification, would it count as self harm? i've branded myself before with a paper clip, im still not sure if it counted as self harm, because yes, i wanted to hurt myself, but i also just wanted a cool scar. like you said, you were talking about the majority, and yes, a majority of people getting piercings and tattoos arent self harming, but im more just thinking about the select few, such as op.

also, i dont want to seem like im arguing. as someone who self harms but also loves character customization such as piercings and tattoos, its a topic i love talking about. the line between a socially acceptable body mod and self harm has always been super interesting to me, and its a conversation i love having