Goths dress up so loudly and in such an odd fashion for one thing: attention. The reason so many of them self-harm is for the same reason: attention.
It's not rocket science...

There seems to be a broad spectrum of ideas attempting to pigeonhole what gothic subculture is all about. Reasons why a person would turn goth is as vast as why people would turn to to any preference in their life. Depression, self harm and suicide is increasing in most cultures. I think it would be ignorant to say that gothic culture is the main promoter of this type of crisis. But it would also be ignorant to say it has no connection at all. In my story, I merged into gothic culture once recovering from depression, it was a way of externalizing emotions as a form of expression. After all depression is due to suppression. People who are suffering from suicidal thoughts or self harm need to start seeking help. Self harm is also a way of externalizing emotional pain to physical pain though it is not a healthy one.

*If you are suffering from this it is best to find a professional listener with professional advice because going down that road is simply being in your own personal cult of self hate. You got to be kind to yourself if you want to find comfort in your soul.

There are a lot of negative influences in the world, and mental illness is really a result of that.

From what I know of gothic culture is that it is a culture that isn't scared of approaching topics that society has made taboo. So in a lot of cases, depressed individuals find their dark thoughts easier to handle within the culture because they dont feel they have to keep them to themselves. Death is a part of life. Generally people try to change the topic when it lingers around this issue for it can be depressing. Others explore death to come to terms with it in their own way. Different people, different needs. Each to their own. To find the balance is the key.

 The problem is not gothic culture. It is too easy to point a finger at a culture that embraces the darker aspects of life, and say that they are promoting it. I believe goths are simply expressing through image or otherwise that the darker side of life exists alongside the brighter side. We are sensitive and artistic souls choosing a different angle of expression..

The fact that people misinterpret the culture as of late with some sick ideas that 'self harming is cool' is alarming. I do not agree with that nor does anyone I know. Yet I'm a goth. All I can bring it down to is that if it's becoming cool to be depressed. The world has a depression epidemic. I guarrantee you not all depressed people are gothic. It is a very serious accusation. As serious as saying all muslims promote suicide bombers. 

It is quite common to find gothics who have been through an ordeal in one way or another.. something that has made them view life differently. Something that has driven them to reveal the skeletons in their closet and come to terms with the positive and negative side of their own nature. These days I no longer feel the need or longing to need to wear spikes, all black and a mask. But there's nothing wrong with people who do. I found a lot of myself through the transformation. Still far from a walking rainbow. Rainbows arnt me. No one should force their beliefs on others.

 If you are a worried because someone you know has turned goth recently, safest bet would be to talk to them about what it means to them or offers them. You should get an idea where their heads at :)

Sadly... some times it does, to people who know nothing about goth then decide to become goth, they think they have to cut them selfs and be sad. it's really stupid that they do this, but in a sence it is true for gothic posers, and the normies can't tell a poser from a True if they tried.

im goth teen and i now some one who slit their wrists but the wrong way round! i would never do it ,it is just giving up fighting in this world ,a cowards way out. the reson i became a goth was i was depresed and found more buety in gothic then anything else not so i could kill myself!!

I'm a goth and yes I do think self harm depression and suicide. but I sure don't try to think about it much less promote it. there are plenty of none goths out there that have thought about suicide and that have actually commited to it. I have never once done anything to harm myself, drepression came with my paackage so there is no way for me to get rid of it, and suicide is always running through my head but I have NEVER acted on it.

Some goths are like that. But not all of them. We are probably some of the most intelligent people out there, but we sometimes don't feel the need to be super class active. Some of us, I included, make the honor roll. But my point is that most gothic people have a reason for why they are gothic. Most of us, once again i am included, have sucky lives. But most of us find more reasons to live than to die. So i really wish that all of these non-goth people would stop trying to understand. they never will untill they have been down this road. We are not strange. We are just troubled with the world around us.

scarlettdraelynkhar, I respect what you're trying to do here, I really do. I am a member of a group that is commonly misunderstood. But, if Goths do not fit these characteristics then what should we call the people that do? I don't know about you, but in my high school there was a click known as the goths. They all dressed in black, they didn't try in school, and they sat around playing hackey sack, writing disturbing poetry and looking depresed all the time. I understand that these people may not fit your definition of the word Gothic, but there is certainly a group of kids out there that fit many of the stereotypes you've listed, whether they are goths or not.

No. Most intelligent members of the goth community recognize that self-harm, depression, and suicide are legitimate issues requiring professional help. We do not condone the touting of these issues to gain attention nor do we support the romanticization of such issues. We do, however, support the freedom to intelligently discuss such taboo topics openly and honestly.