What is self injury or what is self injury problem? - An Article By Mrriage Counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo
Self-harm is a very common problem, and many people are struggling to deal with it. Perhaps you feel or have felt the need to harm yourself. Perhaps you have been self-harming for some time. Or maybe you have a friend, brother or sister or a son or daughter who is self-harming, or someone you teach or work with is doing it and you need to know more. This article is for anyone who wants to understand self-injury – why it happens, how to deal with it, and how to recover from what can become a very destructive cycle. Self-harm can be difficult to understand – both for those who do it and also for those who care about them. It is also a subject that has not received much attention up until now, and is still treated as ‘taboo’ by many. But it happens a lot more than people think.
What is self-injury?
Self-injury is a form of behaviour that may or may not be linked to a diagnosis of mental illness. Self-injuring is often a secretive form of behaviour; it can have many motivating factors for those who use it. It can also be both distressing and incomprehensible to those who do not have direct experience of it, and who may be concerned about the behaviour in those they care about. There can be fears, anxieties and misapprehensions on both sides. Those who use this behaviour may be anxious about others knowing about it, while a concerned family member or friend may be bewildered and distressed and, while wanting to provide support and help, may not know how best to do this.
Reasons why people might self injure themselves:
People who self-harm find it difficult to talk about their feelings so they may use self-harm to express their emotions. They often hide their behaviour (e.g. wearing long sleeves, covering scars) and are not usually trying to gain attention or manipulate others.
Self-harm is usually not the same as a suicide attempt. However, self-injury may sometimes lead to a serious medical emergency. Also, people who self-harm are more likely to have had suicidal thoughts or to have previously attempted suicide, and over time may be at increased risk for of dying by suicide.
Self-harm can be linked to a mental illness such as anxiety, depression and others. It is important to get help for any mental health problems in order to help with the self-harm.
Dealing with self-injuring behaviors
a. Get Help – Visit a professional who specializes in helping people who self-harm, such as a psychologist or a counsellor or other health professional. Don’t forget to look after yourself. Helping someone who self-injures can be draining and upsetting, so get support and look after your physical and emotional needs too.
b. Talk to someone you trust – Although it can be hard, it’s important to find someone to talk to about your feelings and your self-harming behaviors. Recognize when you do and don’t self-harm – It can be helpful to identify the usual times, places and feelings you have when you self-harm and the times when you are least likely to do it. Recognizing the things that trigger self-harm can help you avoid those situations.
c. Distract yourself – When you feel the need to self-harm, it can help to wait 15 minutes and see if the urge goes away. Try to focus on other things, such as taking some deep breaths, taking a shower, reading a book or having something to eat or drink.
What is self-injury?
Self-injury is a form of behaviour that may or may not be linked to a diagnosis of mental illness. Self-injuring is often a secretive form of behaviour; it can have many motivating factors for those who use it. It can also be both distressing and incomprehensible to those who do not have direct experience of it, and who may be concerned about the behaviour in those they care about. There can be fears, anxieties and misapprehensions on both sides. Those who use this behaviour may be anxious about others knowing about it, while a concerned family member or friend may be bewildered and distressed and, while wanting to provide support and help, may not know how best to do this.
Reasons why people might self injure themselves:
People who self-harm find it difficult to talk about their feelings so they may use self-harm to express their emotions. They often hide their behaviour (e.g. wearing long sleeves, covering scars) and are not usually trying to gain attention or manipulate others.
Self-harm is usually not the same as a suicide attempt. However, self-injury may sometimes lead to a serious medical emergency. Also, people who self-harm are more likely to have had suicidal thoughts or to have previously attempted suicide, and over time may be at increased risk for of dying by suicide.
Self-harm can be linked to a mental illness such as anxiety, depression and others. It is important to get help for any mental health problems in order to help with the self-harm.
Dealing with self-injuring behaviors
a. Get Help – Visit a professional who specializes in helping people who self-harm, such as a psychologist or a counsellor or other health professional. Don’t forget to look after yourself. Helping someone who self-injures can be draining and upsetting, so get support and look after your physical and emotional needs too.
b. Talk to someone you trust – Although it can be hard, it’s important to find someone to talk to about your feelings and your self-harming behaviors. Recognize when you do and don’t self-harm – It can be helpful to identify the usual times, places and feelings you have when you self-harm and the times when you are least likely to do it. Recognizing the things that trigger self-harm can help you avoid those situations.
c. Distract yourself – When you feel the need to self-harm, it can help to wait 15 minutes and see if the urge goes away. Try to focus on other things, such as taking some deep breaths, taking a shower, reading a book or having something to eat or drink.
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