Self-Harm

Self-injury (Cutting, Self-Harm or Self-Mutilation)

Self-injury, also known as self-harm, self-mutilation, or self-abuse occurs when someone intentionally and repeatedly harms herself/himself in a way that is impulsive and not intended to be lethal.

The most common methods are:

• Skin cutting (70-90%),
• Head banging or hitting (21%-44%), and
• Burning (15%-35%).

Other forms of self-injury include excessive scratching to the point of drawing blood, punching self or objects, infecting oneself, inserting objects into body openings, drinking something harmful (like bleach or detergent), and breaking bones purposefully. [1] Most individuals who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) hurt themselves in more than one way.

How Common is Self-Injury?

Research indicates that self-injury occurs in approximately as many as 4% of adults in the United States. Rates are higher among adolescents, who seem to be at an increased risk for self-injury, with approximately 15% of teens reporting some form of self-injury. Studies show an even higher risk for self-injury among college students, with rates ranging from 17%-35%. [2]

Why Do People Self-Injure?

People who self-injure commonly report they feel empty inside, over or under stimulated, unable to express their feelings, lonely, not understood by others and fearful of intimate relationships and adult responsibilities. Self-injury is their way to cope with or relieve painful or hard-to-express feelings, and is generally not a suicide attempt. But relief is temporary, and a self-destructive cycle often develops without proper treatment. Self-injury can also be a way to have control over your body when you can’t control anything else in your life. A lot of people who cut themselves also have an eating disorder.

By engaging in self-injury, a person intends to:

• Obtain relief from a negative feeling or mental state
• Resolve an interpersonal difficulty, like a disagreement with a friend or loved one
• Deal with an intrapersonal problem, like boredom
• Induce a positive feeling state [3]

Warning Signs

Warning signs that someone may be injuring themselves include:

• Unexplained frequent injuries including cuts and burns,
• Low self-esteem,
• Difficulty handling feelings,
• Relationship problems or avoidance of relationships, and
• Poor functioning at work, school or home.

People who self-injure may attempt to conceal their marks, such as bruises, scabs or scars with clothing, and you may notice them wearing inappropriate clothing like long sleeves and pants in hot weather. If discovered, a person who self-injures may often make excuses as to how an injury happened (for instance, “I fell” or “The cat scratched me”).

Diagnosis

The diagnosis for someone who self-injures can only be determined by a licensed psychiatric professional. Self-injury behaviors can be a symptom other mental illnesses.

**Information can be found on (taken from): http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/self-injury