|
SELF-INJURY - You Are Not the Only One
How do you know if you or someone you know self-injures?
This sounds like a strange question, but many people aren’t
sure if what they do is ‘really’ self-injury. Answer these
questions:
1. Do you deliberately cause physical harm to
yourself to the extent of causing tissue damage (breaking
the skin, bruising, leaving marks that last for more than
an hour)?
2. Do you cause this harm to yourself as a way
of dealing with unpleasant or overwhelming emotions, obsessive
thoughts, or dissociation?
3. If your self-harm is not compulsive, do you
often think about self-injury even when you’re relatively
calm and not doing it at the moment.
4. Are you ‘accident prone?’
5. Do you prevent your self-injuries from healing?
If you answered ‘Yes’ to #1 and #2, you are
a self-injurer. If you answered ‘yes’ to #3 and #5, you are
most likely a repetitive self-injurer. The way you choose
to hurt yourself could be cutting, hitting, burning, scratching,
skin-picking, hair pulling, banging your head, breaking bones,
not letting wounds heal, drug/alcohol abuse or ingesting other
lethal substances.”
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.
- Five million Americans engage in some form of self injury.
An estimated three million Americans purposely cut or burn
themselves.
- 90% of self injurers begin self injury as teenagers.
- • The average self injurer begins at age fourteen and
continues with increasing severity until they either choose
another coping mechanism or engage in healing their emotional
wounds.
- Self injurers are victims of abuse—emotional, physical,
sexual abuse or childhood neglect.
- Self injury is prevalent in all races and economic backgrounds.
- 60% of self injurers are female, 40% are male.
- Self injury does become an addiction as it provides a
respite from the emotional pain for a short period—then
the person repeats their self injuring behavior to again
create the relief.
- People who self injure are not suicidal nor are they sick,
weird, crazy, a freak or evil.
- Self injury is a solution to excruciating emotional pain.
Self injury is only a temporary solution. Self
injury makes the person feel better, but only for a short
period of time. The only way to feel better is to heal the
emotional wounds, which prompts self injury as a coping mechanism.
Their excruciating emotional pain is extremely elusive and
there seems to be no other remedy than to create external
pain as a distraction, albeit temporary.
People become very adept at hiding scars or
explaining away self-injuring behavior. Look for signs such
as: a preference for wearing concealing clothing at all times
(long sleeves in hot weather), an avoidance of situations
where more revealing clothing is the norm (refusal to wear
shorts, swimsuit, short sleeves, etc), or frequent complaints
of accidental injury—falling, slipping, scratches on arms
or legs, frequent black and blue marks.
Talk therapy is inadequate to uncover the emotional
pain, and heal the trauma trapped in muscles and tissue. To
fully appreciate the depth of this pain, I will quote one
of my clients, "Even my blood hurts." A multifaceted healing
process specifically focused on emotional, physical and sexual
abuse recovery and diligent work is the most effective; wherein
the survivor can replenish their emotional and spiritual identity
and empowerment.
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.
About the Author:
Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit
healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Recovery. As an inspirational
leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges
as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual
Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net
dmneddermeyer@gen-assist.com
Article Source, click
here.
.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.
.:. GO TO TOP ..:.. BACK
TO SELF-INJURY PAGE .:.
|
