Injury to oneself (cutting, self-harm, or self-mutilation)
%20dimensions%201100x650%20px.jpeg)
Self-injury is also known as self harm, self-mutilation or self-abuse. It occurs when someone intentionally hurts themselves in an impulsive way, but not meant to be fatal. Self-harm is not meant to be fatal, but people who attempt suicide if they don't receive help.
These most popular methods are:
Skin care (70-90%).
Head hitting or head banging (21%-44%).
Burning (15%-35%).
Self-injury can also include excessive scratching, infecting oneself or others, infected oneself, inserting things into one's body, and intentionally breaking bones. Non-suicidal self injury can cause injuries in multiple ways for most people.
Prevalence
According to research, self-injury is a common problem in about 5% of Americans. The rates are higher in adolescents with around 17% of teens reporting self-injury. Study results show that college students are at higher risk of self-injury, with rates ranging between 17-35%.
Causes
Self-injurers often report feeling empty, under or over stimulated, unable to express their feelings, lonely and not understood by others. They also fear losing intimate relationships with other people and taking on adult responsibilities. Self-injury can be used to deal with difficult or painful feelings. It is not suicide. Self-injury can provide temporary relief, but a destructive cycle of self-injury can develop without proper treatment. Self-injury can be used to help people regain control of their bodies, even though they may not have any control over the rest of their lives.
People may engage in self-injury to:
Negative feelings can be disassociated.
Show emotion they may be embarrassed to display.
Have control of their lives.
Accept the feelings they have.
For any wrongdoings they believe they committed, they will be punished.
Warning Signs
These are warning signs that someone could be injuring himself:
Scars.
Unexplained frequent injuries, such as cuts and burns.
Sharp objects should always be on hand.
Low self-esteem
It is difficult to handle emotions.
They feel helpless, hopeless or worthless.
Problems in relationships or the avoidance of them
Poor functioning at home, school or work.
Self-injurers may try to cover up their injuries (bruises, scabs or scars) with clothing. In hot weather, you might see them wearing long sleeves and short pants. A person who self-injures can often fabricate the reason for an injury if they are discovered.
Diagnosis
A mental or medical health professional can diagnose someone who self-injures. Self-injury can also be a sign of other mental disorders such as personality disorders, bipolar disorder and depression, anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and OCD.
Criteria to Diagnose Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Intentional self-inflicted physical injury to the surface of your body, with the expectation of bodily harm but not suicidal intent, for five days or more in the last year.
A person injures themselves for at least one reason:
To find relief from negative feelings or thoughts
To solve an interpersonal problem;
To create positive emotions.
A person experiences the following before they exhibit the behavior:
Negative thoughts and feelings (including those relating to depression and/or anxiousness) can cause interpersonal difficulty.
It is difficult to let go of self-injury and worry about it.
Frequent urges for self-injury
This behavior is not acceptable by society. Body piercings, tattoos, and nail-biting are not eligible for this diagnosis.
The behavior is causing distress to the person.
This behavior cannot be explained by any other mental, developmental, or medical condition.
Suicide and Self-Injury
It is difficult to understand the relationship between suicide and self injury. Non-suicidal self injuries are not intended to cause suicide. However, they can do more harm than they intended. This could lead to medical complications and even death. A person with self-injury may feel desperate because they are unable to control their behavior or its addictive nature. This could lead them to attempt suicide.
Treatment
A mental healthcare professional should contact anyone who exhibits the symptoms of self-injury. If possible, it is a good idea to consult a provider who has expertise in self-injury. There are three options for self-injury treatment: outpatient therapy, partial inpatient (6-12 hours per day) care, or inpatient hospitalization. If the behavior is affecting daily life, such as relationships and employment, or if it is life-threatening, a self-injury program with experienced staff is recommended.
Self-injury can be treated with medication, cognitive/behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and additional services as required.
Medication can be used to treat depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviors and racing thoughts associated with self-injury.
Cognitive/behavioral therapy assists individuals in understanding and managing their negative thoughts and behaviors. For self-control, contracts, journals and behavior logs can be useful tools.
Interpersonal therapy helps individuals gain insight and skills to develop and maintain relationships.
Access to services for eating disorders, alcohol/substance abuse and trauma, abuse and family therapy should all be available. Treatments can be adapted depending on the individual's needs.
Services for eating disorders and alcohol/substance abuse, trauma, or abuse should be available. Treatments can also be integrated depending on the individual's needs.
The following are the hallmarks of successful treatment:
Individuals' active involvement in and commitment to their treatment.
Aftercare plans that support the individual's self-management and behavior changes.
Collaboration among all professionals involved (medical or not).
%20dimensions%201100x650%20px.jpeg)
No comments