Self-Harm

Self-harm, or self-mutilation, is the act of deliberately inflicting pain and damage to one’s own body. Self-harm most often refers to cutting, burning, scratching, and other forms of external injury; self-harm, however, can also include internal or emotional harm, such as consuming toxic amounts of alcohol or drugs or deliberately participating in unsafe sex.

DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and not to be used for self-diagnosis. If you or a loved one can relate to a number of features listed below, then please do use our therapist directory to find a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist that is right for you to receive a professional diagnosis.

What are the primary symptoms/signs of self-harm?

• It can be difficult to detect when someone is hurting themselves because self-harm is often done in private and kept hidden out of shame and fear. 
• Fresh cuts and scratches, bite marks, and burns can all be warnings of self-injury when they occur frequently. Other physical signs may include scars, bruises, and bald patches, particularly those that indicate a repeated pattern of harm.
• Other less obvious signs could include an individual who seems especially prone to accidents or who wears long sleeves or long pants even in hot weather; these behaviours may be attempts to disguise self-injury. 
• People who self-harm may also show signs of depression or emotional unpredictability, such as making comments about their sense of hopelessness or worthlessness.

Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only and not to be used for self-diagnosis. If you or a loved one can relate to a number of features listed below, then please do use our therapist directory to find a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist that is right for you to receive a professional diagnosis.

What factors can be contributing causes? 

• Individuals who self-injure may feel that doing so helps release pent-up feelings of anxiety, anger, or sadness. But evidence finds that over time, those raw emotions—along with additional feelings of guilt and shame—will continue to be present, and may even worsen. 
• Self-harm can also be dangerous in itself, even if the individual has no wish to cause themselves significant or long-lasting damage.
• The roots of self-harming behaviour are often found in early childhood trauma, including physical, verbal, or sexual abuse. It may also be an indication of other serious mental health issues that are independent of trauma, such as depression, anxiety, or borderline personality disorder.
• In some cases, self-harm that arises suddenly may be an attempt to regain control after a particularly disturbing experience, such as being assaulted or surviving another traumatic event.

What is the recommended treatment?

• Anyone who is struggling with self-harm should, first and foremost, seek help.
• Most often, the help they seek should be a therapist specialized in self-injury, who can help the individual understand the root causes of their behaviour and practice healthier coping mechanisms.
• Help can also come from friends, partners, or other trusted loved ones. When an individual experiences an urge to self-harm, talking about those feelings with a close other—even if self-harm isn’t discussed directly—can help mitigate the urge and help to make sense of difficult emotions.
• For those with self-harming tendencies, identifying self-harm triggers—and avoiding them when possible—can help to reduce self-harming behaviour. Replacing self-harm with self-soothing activities, such as painting, taking a hot shower, or exercising, can also help reduce the urge to self-injure.
• For those who are dealing with a loved one who is harming himself/herself, responding with compassion—and recognizing that self-harm is an attempt at coping with painful feelings—is the first step. Next, encourage the person to seek help, assist them in finding other outlets for their negative feelings (such as exercise), and make yourself available to discuss any difficult emotions they are experiencing.

• Self-harm occurs most often in teenagers and young adults; recent data found rates ranging from 6 to 14 % for adolescent boys and 17 to 30 % for girls. 
• An analysis of self-harm across 40 countries reported that 17% of all people self-harm at some point in their lives, and 45% of people use cutting as their method of self-harm. (Recovery Village).
• Adults, however, can and do engage in self-harm, particularly those with mental health conditions or a history of self-injury.
• Although both boys and girls self-harm, the rate appears higher in girls; they also tend to start at an earlier age. However, some experts suggest that the types of self-harming behaviors that boys are more likely to engage in—such as punching walls when angry—may not be reported as self-harm in large surveys.
• Ingestion of poison or taking an overdose of drugs with suicidal intent accounts for more than 80% of deliberate self-harm in Sri Lanka (Pushpakumara et al., 2019).

If you are experiencing any of these signs, here are some activities you can do at home until you are able to consult a professional

• • Exercise
  • Engage in creative outlets such as writing, painting, or music
  • Keep a gratitude journal
  • Talk to a family member or friend about how you are feeling
  • Practice Mindfulness
  • Practice Yoga
  • Engage in a well-balanced diet
  • Maintain a good sleep schedule 
  • Recognise what you can and can’t handle