Self-harm

Self-harm (SH) is injury to one's own body, whether conscious or unconscious. Some scholars use more technical definitions related to specific aspects of behavior. This injury may be aimed at relieving otherwise unbearable emotions, sensations of unreality and numbness, or for other reasons. Self-harm is generally a social taboo. It is sometimes associated with mental illnesses such as Borderline Personality Disorder, with a history of trauma and abuse, with eating disorders, or with mental traits such as perfectionism.

Definition

Self-harm is also known as self-injury (SI), self-inflicted violence (SIV), self-injurious behavior (SIB), and self-mutilation1, although this last term has connotations that some people find perturbing. When discussing self-harm with someone who engages in it, it is suggested to use the same terms and words which that person uses, e.g. "cutting", rather than insisting on labeling it "self-harm".

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A common form of self-injury is shallow cuts to the skin of the arms or legs, or less frequently to other parts of the body, including the breasts and sexual organs. Since this is the most well-known, it is casually referred to as "cutting", though it may also involve punching, slapping, or burning oneself as well. The usual thought process behind self-injury is not to attempt suicide, but to relieve unbearable emotional pressure, or some kind of discomfort. Self-injury is seen by some as attention seeking behavior, though many people who self injure are very self-conscious of their wounds and scars and go to great lengths to conceal their behavior from others.

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Strictly, self-harm is a general term for self-damaging activities (which could include alcohol abuse, bulimia, etc). Self-injury refers to the more specific practice of cutting, bruising, self poisoning, over-dosing (without suicidal intent, at first), burning or otherwise directly injuring the body. Self-harm is also a way for people to relieve the emotional pain of everyday life, especially in the case of teenagers, but not exclusively. People who self harm may hurt themselves with a favourite 'tool' or by whatever means available to "wipe out" the emotional distress that they feel inside.

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It should be noted that many people, including Health Care Workers, define self harm based around the act of damaging one's own body, whereas it may be more accurate to define self harm based around the intent and the emotional distress that the person wishes to deal with.

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Two images of superficial self-inflicted wounds of this type can be found here and here. Another example of a self-inflicted wound that required stitches can be found here. (Warning: These images may disturb the viewer.)

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