Well, from what I have learned, depression can be biological or psychological, biological being inheritance, and psychological being an event. Mine is purely biological.

A major form of depression that a lot of people here in Alaska suffer from is S.A.D. because in the winter light drops at some points to purely artificial light that is reflected from the city onto the clouds above.

If you live in a dark area, get outside as much as possible and in some cases you may need to purchase what is called a lightbox which generates bright, artificial light.

I was referring only to cutting as a maladaptive strategy. If a person is cutting, they need better coping skills to deal with what they are feeling, regardless of whether a problem is psychological or "biological".

I still dont get how hurting yourself goes with making you feel better. It just makes no sense.

That's probably because it wouldn't work for you, which is fine. The reigning theory at the moment is that self-injury releases endorphins, the body's natural opiates (drugs).

Cutting is particularly prevalent among people who have been physically or sexually abused as children - with the theory being that these people have learned to dettach themselves from reality during times of stress - including self-inflicted pain.

The problem with cutting (and drugs or alcohol) is that the feelings the person was trying to escape are still waiting when the effects wear off.