Self-Harm: Signs, Support, and Healthier Coping Skills

Key takeaways

• Self-injury: Cutting, Self-Harm or Self-Mutilation

• Why People Self Harm: Finding Alternative Ways to Cope with Emotional Pain

Self-injury: Cutting, Self-Harm or Self-Mutilation

Self-injury, also known as cutting, self-harm, or self-mutilation, occurs when someone intentionally and repeatedly harms herself/himself in a way that is impulsive and not intended to be lethal. It can be frightening for a parent to discover that their son or daughter is engaging in this behavior.

Self-harm is rarely a problem that occurs in isolation. It is often a way to manage conflict or distress and a tool to manage emotions that feel unmanageable to an individual. The person may have a difficult time regulating, expressing or understanding their emotions. Adolescents often say they feel empty inside, lonely and unable to express strong emotion.

Self-harm is often hard to detect because it is secretive. Researchers at Cornell University suggest that several signs may indicate self-harm behavior. These include unexplained burns or a cluster of scars or cuts, difficulty handling feelings, relationship problems or avoidance of relationships and poor functioning at work and or school.

Common areas for self-harm are the wrists, fists, and forearms, however any area of the body is possible. Those engaging in such behavior may wear clothing that is inappropriate for the season as they try and conceal the scarring. Also, using heavy wrist bands, bandages or other coverings is common as one tries to conceal their wounds.

The following are some forms of self-injury: Cutting Scratching Burns (using matches, cigarettes or hot sharp objects such as knives) Carving words Hitting or punching Piercing the skin with sharp objects Pulling out hair Persistent picking designed to interfere with wound healing Breaking bones Drinking something harmful Persons who engage in self-harm are more likely to be highly self-critical and poor problem solvers.

Age is one of the biggest risk factors for self-injury, with teens and young adults being at a greater risk. According to Mental Health America, research indicates that self-injury occurs in approximately 4% of adults in the United States and 15% of teens with an even higher risk existing for college age students. Other risk factors include; friends who self-harm, being neglected or abused (sexually, physically or emotionally) and persons who question their personal identity or sexuality.

Why People Self Harm: Finding Alternative Ways to Cope with Emotional Pain

Why would you hurt yourself intentionally? This is usually the first question that comes to mind when we learn that someone close to us is engaging in acts of self-injury. Cutting, scratching, burning, hitting, or piercing one’s skin all represent types of self harm and are typically done in secret.

So, Why Do People Self Harm? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness , self harm often represents a form of “release” for individuals who are struggling with anger or unresolved emotional pain: “Sometimes, injuring yourself stimulates the body’s endorphins or pain-killing hormones, thus raising their mood. Or if a person doesn’t feel many emotions, they might cause themselves pain in order to feel something “real” to replace emotional numbness.”

Self harm is typically more common in teens and young adults, as this age group tends to be more self-critical of themselves, embarrassed, or even ashamed to admit what they’ve done; therefore, they become unable or unwilling to find alternative coping mechanisms for their own emotional pain.

What Might Trigger Someone to Harm Themselves? Emotional stress is often considered the catalyst for self harm behaviors. This type of stress may be caused by a reaction to an event that made someone feel: Anxious Depressed Self Critical Guilty Ashamed Frightened Frustrated Angry “Becoming upset can trigger an urge to self-injure. Many people self-injure only a few times and then stop. But for others, self-injury can become a long-term, repetitive behavior,” ( The Mayo Clinic ).

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.