It is called many things - self-inflicted violence,
self-injury, self-harm, parasuicide, delicate cutting, self-abuse, self-mutilation
(the last tends to annoy people who self-injure).
Self-injury is self-inflicted
physical harm severe enough to cause tissue damage or marks that last for several
hours, done without suicidal intent or intent to attain sexual pleasure. Self-harm
is a way of coping, an attempt to deal with other problems. Body markings (piercing,
tattooing, etc) that are done as part of a spiritual ritual or for ornamentation
purposes generally aren't considered self-injury.
Self-injury is done as
a way of coping with overwhelming psychophysiological arousal. This can be to
express emotion, to deal with feelings of unreality or numbness, to make flashbacks
stop, to punish the self and stop self-hating thoughts, or to deal with a feeling
of impending explosion. Self-injury is more about relieving tension or distress
than is it about anything else.
Cutting is the most common form of self-injury,
burning and head-banging are also very common. Other forms include biting, skin-picking,
hair-pulling, hitting the body with objects or hitting objects with the body,
etc.
Self-harm is more common among girls, but guys sometimes self-injure,
too. People may cut themselves on their wrists, arms, legs, or bellies. Some people
self-injure by burning their skin with the end of a cigarette or lighted match.
When cuts or burns heal, they often leave scars or marks.
Self-harm is
a problem that many people are embarrassed or ashamed to discuss. Often, individuals
try to hide their self-harm behaviours and are very reluctant to seek needed psychological
or even medical treatment. Others want to be noticed so that intervention can
take place.
It is not unusual for people who injure themselves to also suffer
from an eating disorder like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
It is not uncommon
for individuals who struggle with an eating disorders to suffer from other associated
psychological disorders and/or other addictive or self-destructive behaviours
that co-exist with their eating disorder. Self-inflicted violence is often seen
in women and girls who struggle with an eating disorder.
Studies discovered
that individuals who binge and purge in some form are more likely to demonstrate
self-injurious behaviours.
People who "self-injure" are not usually suicidal.
Self-harm is a way of coping, a way to stay alive and not to commit suicide. They
release unbearable feelings and pressures through self-harm, and that eases their
urge toward suicide. Although some individuals who self-injure do later attempt
suicide, they almost always use a method different from their preferred method
of self-harm.
Many famous stars have had
the courage to talk about their struggles and have admitted to having self-injurious
behaviour, some have recovered, some have not.
The following men and women are very
courageous to talk about their "dark secret" and I'd like to thank
them for their honesty, courage and openness.
Actress Angelina Jolie, who also struggled with an eating disorder
in her younger years, spoke publicly about her experiences with self-injury and
that she used to hurt herself as a way of coping. "I went through a period when
I felt trapped, cutting myself because it felt like I was releasing something."
She quit self-injury but admits to using knives during sex play.
Actor
Johnny Depp acknowledged that he hurt himself physically at a young age because
of his insecurities and family problems. He has about seven or eight scars from
practicing self-harm.
Irish actor Colin Farrell spoke about his self-injurious
behaviours, including ripping out his own hair in moments of torment.
"Hole"
singer Courtney Love (widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain) went through
a period of self-injury.
Singer Marilyn Manson first cut himself
when he was in the ninth grade. Later in life he would cut himself on stage (like
scraping broken glass across his body during concerts) and got numerous tattoos
of demonic figures on his body. He had about 450 scars at the publishing of his
book, "Long Hard Road out of Hell."
"Garbage" singer Shirley
Manson went public with her experiences with self-harm because she wants to
help others with sharing her story.
Princess Diana, who also struggled
with an eating disorder, admitted in a television interview that she intentionally
cut her arms and legs and had thrown herself down a flight of stairs on more than
one occasion.
Actress Christina Ricci, who also struggled with anorexia,
admitted to cutting herself in the past. "I'd be upset, so I'd do it, and
it would calm me down. It's a horrible way to feel better."
Singer and
songwriter Fiona Apple, who also developed anorexia after being raped at
the age of twelve, used to harm herself in the past.
Self-Harm Behavior and Eating Disorders; Dynamics,
Assessment and Treatment by Sansone Levitt
Publisher:
Routledge Publication Date: August 30, 2004 ISBN: 0-415-946-980
The number of eating disorders patients presenting symptoms of self-harm
is growing quickly, and yet there is surprisingly little known about this
unique population. Self-Harm Behavior and Eating Disorders explores the prevalent
but largely uncharted relationship between self-injury behaviors and eating disorders
symptoms.
The book is categorized into sections
covering epidemiology, psychodynamics, assessment, and a final section covering
potential treatment options, including dialectical behavioral therapy, cognitive
therapy, interventions strategies, group therapy, and pharmacological approaches.
This unrivaled collection of case studies, theoretical exploration, and practical
application forms a benchmark for the field.
When the Body Is the Target: Self-Harm, Pain, and Traumatic
Attachments by Sharon Klayman Farber
Publisher:
Jason Aronson Publication Date: September, 2000 ISBN: 0-765-702-568
Dr. Sharon Farber , author of When The Body Is The Target:
Self-Harm, Pain and Traumatic Attachments and therapist, believes self-injury
is addictive and counsels people on self-injurious behavior ranging from cutting,
burning, and general self-mutilation to eating disorders, including bulimia
(binging and purging). She discussed the trauma that can lead to self-harm and
how to recover from a lifetime of self-injury
SELF-INJURY
- You Are Not the Only One - by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD - In spite
of the definition—self-injury— a.k.a. self-harm, self-mutilation, cutting, burning,
SI, you are doing nothing shameful — you are maintaining psychological integrity
with the only tool you have. It is a crude and ultimately self-destructive tool,
but it works; you get relief from the overwhelming emotional pain—fear / anxiety/sadness/anger
in your life.
Self-Injury: Types, Causes
and Treatment - by Arthur Buchanan - There is no simple portrait of
a person who intentionally injures him/herself. This behavior is not limited by
gender, race, education, age, sexual orientation, socio-economics, or religion.
However, there are some commonly seen factors:
Self-Injury
on College Campuses - by Susan Fee - Self-injury is intentionally
causing self-inflicted physical pain in order to cope with overwhelming feelings,
traumatic events, or severe emotional pain, and it's happening on college campuses
across the country.
Young People & Self
Harm - a key information resource for young people who self-harm, their friends
and families, and for professionals working with them.
Self-Injury: A Struggle
- website from a self-injurer, with lots of information and resources on self-injury,
plus a support area and forum.
The National Self Harm Network
- has been a survivor-led organisation since 1994. We're committed campaigners
for the rights and understanding of people who self-harm. Our
priority is to support survivors and people who self-harm. We also
support the people it indirectly affects, like family and friends, they can discuss
the issue and gain effective support in our forums.
