Self- injury, also known as self mutilation, self harm, and cutting , among other terms, has been referred to as the "fasting growing adolescent behavior problem" with the average age of onset between 11 and 15 years (Alfonso, M. L., & Kaur, R. 2012). This behavior of self-injury is defined as repetitive, impulsive, non lethal harming of oneself. Self directed act which results in tissue damage. Cutting wrist, arms or legs is the most common practice.
Self-injurious behaviors (SIB) was previously thought to be associated with early- life loss and trauma, related functional impairment and serious mental disorders such as borderline personality disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression (Walsh, B.2007). The DSM-IV only appears to mention self-injury as a symptom for diagnosis in personality disorder. Many researchers thought that people who endured in this behavior had psychological problems but now we see that is not often the case and this behavior has a huge impact on our youth today. But studies are showing that self-injury such as cutting has moved from the clinical population to the general population.
Many adolescents are turning to this phenomena for a coping mechanism and the numbers of self-injurious are on the rise especially cutting. The definition of self-injury appears to differ between researchers and this tends to have an impact on the statistic and reports on this behavior. Self- injury has often been considered an important coping mechanism and means of survival for many adolescences. The typical onset for this behavior is normally at puberty. Many researchers feel that young people who endure in this behavior are crying out for help, it is made known that the child does not want to be dead bu...
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...atment it is very important that patient stay actively involved with treatment and aftercare plans are a valuable key this gives patients more support and they eventually even learn new self managing skills and ways to better themselves for the future.
Works Cited
Alfonso, M. L., & Kaur, R. (2012). Self-Injury Among Early Adolescents: Identifying Segments Protected and at Risk* Self-Injury Among Early Adolescents: Identifying Segments Protected and at Risk. Journal Of School Health, 82(12), 537-547. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00734.x
McInnes B. Self-harm as a coping strategy. Therapy Today [serial online]. September 2013;24(7):42. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 27, 2014.
Walsh, B.(2007).Clinical assessment of self-injury: A practical guide. Journal of Clinical Psychology,63(11),1057-1068.doi:1002/jclp.20413
Self-harm, or self-mutilation, is the intentional action of harming oneself, generally without the intent to kill. It is estimated that over two million people self-harm in the United States alone (Pomere). When involved with depression, self-harm is generally used as a method of coping with stress and various feelings that they may be having. If depression manifests with feelings of inadequacies, one could feel like they deserve to be injured (Bartha). Over time, the act of self-injury could become an addiction. It could become an obsession (Pomere).
First, some people harm themselves simply because they can. A friend of Callie’s, Amanda, cuts herself and said to Callie, “Listen, I don’t see how what I do is so different from people who get their tongues pierced. Or their lips. Or their ears, for Chrissakes. It’s my body” (McCormick 37). She doesn’t see the harm in hurting herself which is why teaching this book could tell teenagers that this isn’t the path to go down and that there are other alternatives. She thinks that this is normal and a way to cope with her problems on a day-to-day basis. Amanda is one of the 1,400 out of 100,000, and growing, people who admitted to self-injury (Kennedy). Secondly, some people self-injure to cope with their feelings and tensions. Callie explains to her therapist about her father’s job situation and said, “’Now he just sells to companies nearby.’ I don’t tell you [her therapist] about how it seems like all the companies nearby already have computers, that for a while he took people out hoping they’d become customers and that now he mostly just goes out. ‘He has to work a lot’” (McCormick 111). Callie explained how her fathers situation seemed to cause her a lot of stress and how she seemed worried for him. To add, “some reasons why teens self-injure include: release of tension and feeling overwhelmed” (Styer). This is a lesson that could be taught in
Self-harm, or also known as attempted suicide, or parasuicide, is a way to physically express emotional distress. For people who do self-harm, it is a way to cope with their problem, to distract them from the emotional pain. In simple words, it is a quick temporary band-aid for their inner wounds. After hurting themselves, people wou...
Murphy, E., Kapur, N., Webb, R., & Cooper, J. (2011). Risk assessment following self-harm: comparison of mental health nurses and psychiatrists. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 67(1), 127-139. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05484.x
Self harm occurs most often in young women, along with veterans of the armed forces, gay, lesbian, or people that are bisexual, and people that have been physical, emotional or sexual abuse during their childhood.
Why do people hurt themselves? In a journal article from the American Journal of Psychotherapy, Louise Ruberman notes that about 2.1 million teens suffer from nonsuicidal self-injury, or NSSI. Young women between the ages of 14 and 18 years old take part in NSSI due to poor development of the relationship with their mothers, childhood abuse, and psychiatric disorders. Although there are multiple ways of causing injury to oneself, cutting of the skin as a means of self-mutilation is said to be the most common (Ruberman 119). We will start out by examining the problems that occur during the relationship development between a mother and a daughter at a young age.
Cutting is the leading method of self-affliction (“Self-Injury”). Some people harm themselves because of a lack of control over their life (“Self-Injury”). They feel like they have no ability to alter or change anything in their life. Self-harm provides a sense of being in control of one part of their life. Some people self-afflict themselves because they are punishing themselves. Through previous experiences, they feel guilty and decide to harm
Suicide Prevention. (2014, January 9).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pu
The percent of people self-harming themselves in the world is increasing tremendously. Research provided by “Dr. Paul Moran of King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry and George C. Patton, professor at the Center for Adolescent Health at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia” (Willingham), found out of 1,802 adolescents, eight percent of the adolescents were cutting, ten percent were girls, and 6 percent were boys. Age 15 to 24 year old girls are the ones that are most likely injuring themselves. In Dr. Moran and Dr. Patton’s studies they found “teens who experienced depression or anxiety were about six times more likely to self-harm in young adulthood than adolescents who did not suffer from these illnesses” (Willingham), leading to the doctors results of the percentage data.
It can often be used as a distraction from emotional distress and a way to release feelings the person has help in for so long. They often feel relief and a sense of calmness after performing the act. This is known as cutting or self-mutilation. Some forms of self-mutilation are cutting, burning, hair-pulling, pinching, scratching, picking at scars, and head-banging. People who self-mutilate often have a history of abuse, whether it be sexual, emotional, or physical. Self-mutilation often piggy backs onto other mental health problems such as eating disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and many other mental illnesses. Most people who self-harm often have low self-esteem and are perfectionists. They are often very impulsive and have poor problem-solving
Styer, Denise M. "An Understanding of Self-Injury and Suicide." Prevention Researcher Integrated Research Services, Inc., Vol. 13, Supplement. Dec. 2006: 10-12. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. .
Wilkinson P, Kelvin R, Roberts C, Dubika B, Goodyer I (2011) “Clinical & Psychosocial Predictors of Suicide Attempts and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in the Adolescents Depression, Anti-Depressants & Psychotherapy Trial (ADAPT)” The American Journal of Psychiatry 168(5) page 495-501
Let us look into basic and generalized knowledge of self injury. Self injury (self harm or S.I.) is the act of harming yourself as a way of coping with emotional pain, frustration, and anger. Some view it as a suicide attempt or a precursor to a suicide attempt, but it is not a suicide attempt at all. Rather, it is a serious cry for help. When an individual turns to self injury, they look for an emotional release which gives them momentary calmness. “While self-injury may bring a momentary sense of calm and a release of tension, it's usually followed by guilt and shame and the return of painful emotions” (Self Injury 1). Self injury can also result in serious or even fatal injuries (1).
...ontrol emotional pain. Self-injury, is an unhealthy way to deal with emotional distress. About one-half to two-thirds of people who cut also have an eating disorder. “Girls and guys who self-injure are often dealing with some heavy troubles. Many work hard to overcome difficult problems. So they find it hard to believe that some kids cut just because they think it's a way to seem tough and rebellious...You can't force someone who self-injures to stop. It doesn't help to get mad at a friend who cuts, reject that person, lecture her, or beg him to stop. Instead, let your friend know that you care, that he or she deserves to be healthy and happy, and that no one needs to bear their troubles alone.” -(kidshealth.org) on “How does cutting start”. Need someone to talk to you about your cutting? Call 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288) National Adolescent Suicide Hotline.