Self Harming
This section provides background information on self-harm. It looks at types of self-harm, how common they are, the reasons people harm themselves, and why asking for help can be difficult.
What is self-harm?
Self-harm is when someone deliberately hurts or injures him or herself.
This can take a number of forms including:
* Cutting
* Taking overdoses of tablets or medicines
* Punching oneself
* Throwing their bodies against something
* Pulling out hair or eyelashes
* Scratching, picking or tearing at one’s skin causing sores and scarring
* Burning
* Inhaling or sniffing harmful substances
Patterns of self-harming behaviour
Some people self-harm on a regular basis while others do it just once or a few times. For some people it is part of coping with a specific problem and they stop once the problem is resolved. People can self-harm for years whenever certain kinds of pressures or feelings arise.
A few people who self-harm may go on to commit suicide - generally this is not what they intend to do. In fact, self-harm can be seen as the ‘opposite’ of suicide as it is often a way of coping with life rather than of giving up on it.
Self-harm is often also referred to by other names such as deliberate self-harm, attempted suicide, para-suicide, self-mutilation and self-injury. Talking or reading about self-harm can sometimes become confusing because researchers and health professionals often use these terms to mean different things. A research article or report will usually define exactly how it is using any specialised terms.
Find out more about self-harming
* Why do people self-harm themselves?
* How common is self-harming?
* Why it can be difficult asking for help?
* Understanding people who self-harm
* Getting help and supporting others
For an informal discussion about the services we can access on your behalf to address and deal with self-harming and related issues please call treatment-now.com on