Self-harm is a coping mechanism in response to stress, trauma, or depression. Women are more likely to self-harm than men, and it can take many forms, including cutting, burning, and ingesting poison. Treatment includes talk therapy and medication.
Self-harm is a condition in which someone deliberately inflicts harm on themselves, but not with the intent to commit suicide. This pathology takes a wide range of forms and it is important to distinguish self-harm from both suicidal behavior and culturally or artistically appropriate activities, such as initiation rituals or tattooing. Women are about four times more likely to self-harm than men, and self-harm is very common among young people, but the behavior can occur at any age.
This behavior typically emerges in response to stress, trauma, or depression. People inflict harm on themselves as a way to cope with situations over which they feel no control over and often choose hidden sites on their body for their activities so that self-harm goes undetected. In some cases, the injuries may be more obvious, in which case self-harm could be seen as a cry for help, and self-harm can also develop into more serious suicidal behavior, so it is cause for concern.
There are many forms of self-harm. People can cut or burn themselves, for example, or pick their hair, skin and nails. Some people deliberately ingest poison, engage in highly dangerous behavior, or attempt to injure themselves by jumping down stairs or hitting themselves with heavy objects. The behavior is often secretive, and the injuries can be dismissed as “accidents” if the subject is questioned.
When self-harm becomes chronic, it is referred to as repetitive self-injury (RSI). In this situation, the patient often has no control over their self-injurious behavior but instead feels a compulsion to engage in self-injurious behavior. As well as potentially being psychologically harmful, this can also be physically harmful; self-harm can lead to infections and a variety of other health problems.
Patients who engage in such behavior can be treated in a variety of ways. As with other psychological conditions, it is important to intervene in a supportive and non-accusatory way. Antidepressant medications may be prescribed to help the patient cope with stress, but talk therapy is also strongly encouraged. Some patients also benefit from more strenuous therapy designed to change their core behavior patterns, and people may use tricks such as promoting more beneficial behaviors as an alternative to self-harm or using a “friend system” to ensure the patient always has a friend. to call when you want to self-harm.
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