Self-injury

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Self- injury is when somebody intentionally inflicts damage or injury to their own body. Self-injury is always a sign of something being seriously wrong and professional help should be sought. The person is usually deeply distressed and needs understanding and support.

Cutting the skin is probably the most common form of Self- injury. The cuts are not usually deep. The most popular places to cut are the wrists, upper arms, inner thighs and upper chest. Often people who cut themselves will only use one or two methods (eg knives, glass, razor blades) and cut in one or two places (eg arms only).

Burning the skin (especially with cigarettes) is also common. People may also harm themselves by hitting or punching, sometimes with an object. Other forms of self- injury include picking at the skin and pulling out hair and bone breaking.

Several other types of behaviour can also be seen as types of Self- injury. For example:

misusing drugs,
drinking too much alcohol,
smoking too much,
starving yourself or binge-eating, and
making yourself vomit.

Although some people who injure themselves may want to die, deliberate self- harm is very different from a suicide attempt. Suicide can be seen as an attempt to end all feelings, whereas people who injure themselves are often trying to feel better. For many people who self-harm, it is an attempt to cope with difficult and distressing problems in life.

Self- harm is much more common among girls than boys, often starting in adolescence (around 15 years of age). However fear of discovery and shame often means that people keep self-injury a secret. Because of this, it is difficult to know how widespread this behaviour is.

Self- injury appears to be a way of dealing with very difficult feelings and emotions. It seems to release unbearable tension, which may arise from anxiety, guilt, grief or anger and enables a brief feeling of relief and being in control.

People who self- harm often report feelings of numbness or deadness in normal life and of feeling detached from the world. Self-harm appears to make them feel more connected and alive.

Self- harm may occur over many years or it may only at isolated times of extreme stress. Some people only self-injure once, whilst others may have repeated episodes throughout their life.