Terminal Bliss is a 1992 film directed by Jordan Alan and starring Luke Perry .
73-457: Two adolescent children of wealthy parents deal with the emotional travails of spoiled youth by indulging in self-destructive behavior including drugs, parties, and teenage sex. Friends John (Luke Perry) and Alex (Timothy Owen) deal with issues of betrayal involving Alex's girlfriend Stevie (Estee Chandler). The film was poorly received by critics. It debuted at number 17 at the domestic box office . This 1990s drama film–related article
146-522: A coping mechanism to relieve emotional pain or discomfort or as an attempt to communicate distress. Studies of individuals with developmental disabilities (such as intellectual disability ) have shown self-harm being dependent on environmental factors such as obtaining attention or escape from demands. Some individuals may have dissociation harboring a desire to feel real or to fit into society's rules. The most common form of self-harm for adolescents, according to studies conducted in six countries,
219-403: A habit . The term however tends to be applied toward self-destruction that either is fatal , or is potentially habit-forming or addictive and thus potentially fatal. It is also applied to the potential at a communal or global level for the entire human race to destroy itself through the technological choices made by society and their possible consequences. Individual self-destructive behavior
292-467: A self-punishment function, and modest evidence for anti-dissociation, interpersonal-influence, anti-suicide, sensation-seeking, and interpersonal boundaries functions. Self-harm can also occur in high-functioning individuals who have no underlying mental health diagnosis. The motivations for self-harm vary; some use it as a coping mechanism to provide temporary relief of intense feelings, such as anxiety , depression , stress , emotional numbness , or
365-468: A sense of failure ; some is it as a way to punish themselves for perceived failures, guilt, or shame or manifest low self-worth and self-hatred ; some use it as a way to regain a sense of control in situations that feel chaotic and uncontrollable. Self-harm is often associated with a history of trauma , including emotional and sexual abuse . There are a number of different methods that can be used to treat self-harm, which concentrate on either treating
438-430: A 2016 review characterized the evidence base as "greatly limited". There is no consensus as to the reason for this apparent phenomenon. As a coping mechanism, self-harm can become psychologically addictive because, to the self-harmer, it works; it enables them to deal with intense stress in the current moment. The patterns sometimes created by it, such as specific time intervals between acts of self-harm, can also create
511-410: A behavioral pattern that can result in a wanting or craving to fulfill thoughts of self-harm. Emotional pain activates the same regions of the brain as physical pain, so emotional stress can be a significantly intolerable state for some people. Some of this is environmental and some of this is due to physiological differences in responding. The autonomic nervous system is composed of two components:
584-458: A broader range of circumstances, including wounds that result from organic brain syndromes , substance abuse , and autoeroticism . Different sources draw various distinctions between some of these terms. Some sources define self-harm more broadly than self-injury , such as to include drug overdose , eating disorders , and other acts that do not directly lead to visible injuries. Others explicitly exclude these. Some sources, particularly in
657-776: A burden along with having an impulsive personality and/or less effective social problem-solving skills. Two studies have indicated that self-harm correlates more with pubertal phase , particularly the end of puberty (peaking around 15 for girls), rather than with age. Adolescents may be more vulnerable neurodevelopmentally in this time, and more vulnerable to social pressures, with depression, alcohol abuse, and sexual activity as independent contributing factors. Transgender adolescents are significantly more likely to engage in self-harm than their cisgender peers. This can be attributed to distress caused by gender dysphoria as well as increased likelihoods of experiencing bullying, abuse, and mental illness. The most distinctive characteristic of
730-407: A child were bullied all through middle school, one way for them to deal with their pain would be to exhibit self-destructive behavior such as self-harm or even yelling. With investigations Freud and Ferenczi formed a hypothesis that people with self-destructive behavior suffer from "forbidden fantasies, not memories", meaning that since the action isn't supposed to be done, self-destructive people get
803-600: A clear clinical distinction between self-harm with and without suicidal intent. This differentiation may have been important to both safeguard the reputations of asylums against accusations of medical neglect and to protect patients and their families from the legal or religious consequences of a suicide attempt. In 1896, the American ophthalmologists George Gould and Walter Pyle categorized self-mutilation cases into three groups: those resulting from "temporary insanity from hallucinations or melancholia; with suicidal intent; and in
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#1732794510638876-697: A desire to deceive medical personnel in order to gain treatment and attention is more important in Münchausen's than in self-harm. Self-harm is frequently described as an experience of depersonalization or a dissociative state. Abuse during childhood is accepted as a primary social factor increasing the incidence of self-harm, as is bereavement , and troubled parental or partner relationships. Factors such as war, poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse may also contribute. Other predictors of self-harm and suicidal behavior include feelings of entrapment, defeat, lack of belonging, and perceiving oneself as
949-548: A focus of clinical attention". While NSSI is not a separate mental disorder, the DSM-5-TR adds a diagnostic code for the condition in-line with the ICD . The disorder is defined as intentional self-inflicted injury without the intent of dying by suicide. Criteria for NSSI include five or more days of self-inflicted harm over the course of one year without suicidal intent, and the individual must have been motivated by seeking relief from
1022-520: A lifetime prevalence of 11.4% for suicidal or non-suicidal self-harm (i.e. excluding self-poisoning) and 22.9% for non-suicidal self-injury (i.e. excluding suicidal acts), for an overall prevalence of 16.9%. The difference in SH and NSSI rates, compared to figures of 16.1% and 18.0% found in a 2012 review, may be attributable to differences in methodology among the studies analyzed. The World Health Organization estimates that, as of 2010, 880,000 deaths occur as
1095-462: A means of feeling something , even if the sensation is unpleasant and painful. Those who self-harm sometimes describe feelings of emptiness or numbness ( anhedonia ), and physical pain may be a relief from these feelings. Those who engage in self-harm face the contradictory reality of harming themselves while at the same time obtaining relief from this act. It may even be hard for some to actually initiate cutting, but they often do because they know
1168-427: A meta-analysis that did not distinguish between suicidal and non-suicidal acts, self-harm is common among those with schizophrenia and is a significant predictor of suicide. There are parallels between self-harm and Münchausen syndrome , a psychiatric disorder in which individuals feign illness or trauma. There may be a common ground of inner distress culminating in self-directed harm in a Münchausen patient. However,
1241-720: A need for attention or a feel good sensation and destructiveness can ultimately cause this behavior. A prime example of this would be addiction to drugs or alcohol. In the beginning stages, people have the tendency to ease their way into these unhealthy behaviors because it gives them a pleasurable sensation. However, as time goes on, it becomes a habit that they can not stop and they begin to lose these great feelings easily. When these feelings stop, self-destructive behavior enhances because they are not able to provide themselves with that feeling that makes mental or physical pain go away. Changing one's self-destructive behavior can be difficult, and may include major stages that one passes through on
1314-729: A negative state, resolving an interpersonal difficulty, or achieving a positive state. A common belief regarding self-harm is that it is an attention-seeking behavior; however, in many cases, this is inaccurate. Many self-harmers are very self-conscious of their wounds and scars and feel guilty about their behavior, leading them to go to great lengths to conceal their behavior from others. They may offer alternative explanations for their injuries, or conceal their scars with clothing. Self-harm in such individuals may not be associated with suicidal or para-suicidal behavior. People who self-harm are not usually seeking to end their own life; it has been suggested instead that they are using self-harm as
1387-655: A non-fatal expression of an attenuated death wish and thus coined the term partial suicide . He began a classification system of six types: Pao (1969) differentiated between delicate (low lethality) and coarse (high lethality) self-mutilators who cut. The "delicate" cutters were young, multiple episodic of superficial cuts and generally had borderline personality disorder diagnosis. The "coarse" cutters were older and generally psychotic. Ross and McKay (1979) categorized self-mutilators into nine groups: cutting , biting , abrading , severing , inserting , burning , ingesting or inhaling , hitting , and constricting . After
1460-660: A personality disorder, and could potentially be used for those with other mental disorders who exhibit self-harming behavior. Diagnosis and treatment of the causes of self-harm is thought by many to be the best approach to treating self-harm. In adolescents multisystem therapy shows promise. According to the classification of Walsh and Rosen trichotillomania and nail biting represent class I and II self-mutilation behavior (see classification section in this article); for these conditions habit reversal training and decoupling have been found effective according to meta-analytic evidence. A meta-analysis found that psychological therapy
1533-529: A prominent suffragette , used a stint in Holloway Prison during March 1909 to mutilate her body. Her plan was to carve 'Votes for Women' from her breast to her cheek, so that it would always be visible. But after completing the V on her breast and ribs she requested sterile dressings to avoid blood poisoning , and her plan was aborted by the authorities. She wrote of this in her memoir Prisons and Prisoners . Kikuyu girls cut each other's vulvas in
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#17327945106381606-525: A religious frenzy or emotion". Self-harm was, and in some cases continues to be, a ritual practice in many cultures and religions. The Maya priesthood performed auto- sacrifice by cutting and piercing their bodies in order to draw blood. A reference to the priests of Baal "cutting themselves with blades until blood flowed" can be found in the Hebrew Bible. However, in Judaism, such self-harm
1679-559: A result of self-harm (including suicides). About 10% of admissions to medical wards in the UK are as a result of self-harm, the majority of which are drug overdoses . However, studies based only on hospital admissions may hide the larger group of self-harmers who do not need or seek hospital treatment for their injuries, instead treating themselves. Many adolescents who present to general hospitals with deliberate self-harm report previous episodes for which they did not receive medical attention. In
1752-494: A result self-harm may be an indicator of depression and/or other psychological problems. As of 2021 , there is little or no evidence that antidepressants , mood stabilizers , or dietary supplements reduce repetition of self-harm. In limited research into antipsychotics , one small trial of flupentixol found a possible reduction in repetition, while one small trial of fluphenazine found no difference between low and ultra-low doses. As of 2012 , no clinical trials have evaluated
1825-436: A stronger drive to take part in these actions. Self-destructive behavior varies from person to person, therefore superego and aggression is different in every person. Self-destructive behavior may be used as a coping mechanism when one is overwhelmed. For example, faced with a pressing scholastic assessment, someone may choose to sabotage their work rather than cope with the stress. This would make submission of (or passing)
1898-541: A successful treatment for aggressive and self-destructive behaviors, separate from the triggers. Self-harm Self-harm (or SH , sometimes used euphemistically) refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues , commonly with suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting , self-injury , and self-mutilation have been used for any self-harming behavior regardless of suicidal intent. Common forms of self-harm include damaging
1971-418: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Self-destructive behavior Self-destructive behavior is any behavior that is harmful or potentially harmful towards the person who engages in the behavior. Self-destructive behaviors are considered to be on a continuum, with one extreme end of the scale being suicide. Self-destructive actions may be deliberate, born of impulse, or developed as
2044-417: Is a positive statistical correlation between self-harm and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Self-harm may become a means of managing and controlling pain , in contrast to the pain experienced earlier in the person's life over which they had no control (e.g., through abuse). Assessment of motives in a medical setting is usually based on precursors to the incident, circumstances, and information from
2117-709: Is a well-established treatment for self-injurious behavior in youth and is probably useful for decreasing the risk of non-suicidal self-injury. Several other treatments including integrated CBT (I-CBT), attachment-based family therapy (ABFT), resourceful adolescent parent program (RAP-P), intensive interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A-IN), mentalization-based treatment for adolescents (MBT-A), and integrated family therapy are probably efficacious. Cognitive behavioral therapy may also be used to assist those with Axis I diagnoses, such as depression, schizophrenia , and bipolar disorder . Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be successful for those individuals exhibiting
2190-423: Is effective in reducing self-harm. The proportion of the adolescents who self-harmed over the follow-up period was lower in the intervention groups (28%) than in controls (33%). Psychological therapies with the largest effect sizes were dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and mentalization-based therapy (MBT). In individuals with developmental disabilities, occurrence of self-harm
2263-929: Is forbidden under Mosaic law . It occurred in ancient Canaanite mourning rituals, as described in the Ras Shamra tablets. Self-harm is practised in Hinduism by the ascetics known as sadhu s. In Catholicism , it is known as mortification of the flesh . Some branches of Islam mark the Day of Ashura , the commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, with a ritual of self-flagellation , using chains and swords. Dueling scars such as those acquired through academic fencing at certain traditional German universities are an early example of scarification in European society. Sometimes, students who did not fence would scar themselves with razors in imitation. Constance Lytton ,
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2336-530: Is found in 40–60% of suicides. Still, only a minority of those who self-harm are suicidal. The desire to self-harm is a common symptom of some personality disorders . People with other mental disorders may also self-harm, including those with depression , anxiety disorders , substance abuse , mood disorders , eating disorders , post-traumatic stress disorder , schizophrenia , dissociative disorders , psychotic disorders , as well as gender dysphoria or dysmorphia . Studies also provide strong support for
2409-556: Is generally thought that self-harm rates increase over the course of adolescence, although this has not been studied thoroughly. The earliest reported incidents of self-harm are in children between 5 and 7 years old. In addition there appears to be an increased risk of self-harm in college students than among the general population. In a study of undergraduate students in the US, 9.8% of the students surveyed indicated that they had purposefully cut or burned themselves on at least one occasion in
2482-547: Is largely inconclusive. Substance misuse, dependence and withdrawal are associated with self-harm. Benzodiazepine dependence as well as benzodiazepine withdrawal is associated with self-harming behavior in young people. Alcohol is a major risk factor for self-harm. A study which analyzed self-harm presentations to emergency rooms in Northern Ireland found that alcohol was a major contributing factor and involved in 63.8% of self-harm presentations. A 2009 study in
2555-460: Is often associated with neurodevelopmental or mental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , borderline personality disorder or schizophrenia . Self-destructive behavior was first studied in 1895 by Sigmund Freud and Sándor Ferenczi when they first recognized how traumatic experiences affected the development of children. Freud and Ferenczi noticed that children who were raised in an unhealthy environment were more often
2628-412: Is often demonstrated to be related to its effects on the environment, such as obtaining attention or desired materials or escaping demands. As developmentally disabled individuals often have communication or social deficits, self-harm may be their way of obtaining these things which they are otherwise unable to obtain in a socially appropriate way (such as by asking). One approach for treating self-harm thus
2701-560: Is performed intentionally and usually without suicidal intent. The adjective "deliberate" is sometimes used, although this has become less common, as some view it as presumptuous or judgmental. Less common or more dated terms include parasuicidal behavior , self-mutilation , self-destructive behavior , self-inflicted violence , self-injurious behavior , and self-abuse . Others use the phrase self-soothing as intentionally positive terminology to counter more negative associations. Self-inflicted wound or self-inflicted injury refers to
2774-435: Is stabbing or cutting the skin with a sharp object. For adults ages 60 and over, self- poisoning (including intentional drug overdose ) is by far the most common form. Other self-harm methods include burning , head-banging, biting, scratching, hitting, preventing wounds from healing, self-embedding of objects, and hair-pulling. The locations of self-harm are often areas of the body that are easily hidden and concealed from
2847-490: Is the inability to handle the stress stemming from an individual's lack of self-confidence –for example in a relationship, as to whether the other person is truly faithful ("How can they love someone like me?"), or at work or school, as to whether the realization of assignments and deadlines is possible ("There is no way I can complete all my work on time"). Self-destructive people usually lack healthier coping mechanisms, such as asserting personal boundaries . Hence incompetence
2920-779: Is the only apparent way to disentangle themselves from demands. Successful individuals may self-destructively sabotage their own achievements; this may stem from a feeling of anxiety, unworthiness, or from an impulsive desire to repeat the "climb to the top". Self-destructive behavior is often considered to be synonymous with self-harm, but this is not accurate. Self-harm is an extreme form of self-destructive behavior, but it may appear in many other guises. Just as personal experience can affect how extreme one's self-destructive behavior is, self-harm reflects this. Childhood trauma via sexual , emotional and physical abuse , as well as disrupted parental care, have been linked with self-destructive behavior. Usually, behavior like this results from
2993-413: Is to teach an alternative, appropriate response which obtains the same result as the self-harm. Generating alternative behaviors that the person can engage in instead of self-harm is one successful behavioral method that is employed to avoid self-harm. Techniques, aimed at keeping busy, may include journaling, taking a walk, participating in sports or exercise or being around friends when the person has
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3066-754: The sympathetic nervous system controls arousal and physical activation (e.g., the fight-or-flight response ) and the parasympathetic nervous system controls physical processes that are automatic (e.g., saliva production). The sympathetic nervous system innervates (e.g., is physically connected to and regulates) many parts of the body involved in stress responses. Studies of adolescents have shown that adolescents who self-injure have greater physiological reactivity (e.g., skin conductance) to stress than adolescents who do not self-injure. Several forms of psychosocial treatments can be used in self-harm including dialectical behavior therapy . Psychiatric and personality disorders are common in individuals who self-harm and as
3139-474: The 1950s as a symbol of defiance, in the context of the campaign against female genital mutilation in colonial Kenya . The movement came to be known as Ngaitana ("I will circumcise myself"), because to avoid naming their friends, the girls said they had cut themselves. Historian Lynn Thomas described the episode as significant in the history of FGM because it made clear that its victims were also its perpetrators. Karl Menninger considered self-mutilation as
3212-575: The 1970s the focus of self-harm shifted from Freudian psycho-sexual drives of the patients. Walsh and Rosen (1988) created four categories numbered by Roman numerals I–IV, defining Self-mutilation as rows II, III and IV. Favazza and Rosenthal (1993) reviewed hundreds of studies and divided self-mutilation into two categories: culturally sanctioned self-mutilation and deviant self-mutilation . Favazza also created two subcategories of sanctioned self-mutilations; rituals and practices . The rituals are mutilations repeated generationally and "reflect
3285-481: The United Kingdom, define deliberate self-harm or self-harm in general to include suicidal acts. (This article principally discusses non-suicidal acts of self-inflicted skin damage or self-poisoning.) The inconsistent definitions used for self-harm have made research more difficult. Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been listed in section 2 of the DSM-5-TR under the category "other conditions that may be
3358-467: The United States up to 4% of adults self-harm with approximately 1% of the population engaging in chronic or severe self-harm. The onset of self-harm tends to occur around puberty , although scholarship is divided as to whether this is usually before puberty or later in adolescence. Meta-analyses have not supported some studies' conclusion that self-harm rates are increasing among adolescents. It
3431-603: The assessment impossible, but remove the worry associated with it. Self-destructive behavior may also manifest itself in an active attempt to drive away other people. For example, they may fear that they will "mess up" a relationship. Rather than deal with this fear, socially self-destructive individuals engage in annoying or alienating behavior such that others shall reject them first. More obvious forms of self-destruction are eating disorders , alcoholism , drug addictions , self-harm , gambling addictions and suicide attempts . An important aspect of self-destructive behavior
3504-454: The effects of pharmacotherapy on adolescents who self-harm. Emergency departments are often the first point of contact with healthcare for people who self-harm. As such they are crucial in supporting them and can play a role in preventing suicide. At the same time, according to a study conducted in England, people who self-harm often experience that they do not receive meaningful care at
3577-450: The elderly population. The risk of serious injury and suicide is higher in older people who self-harm. Captive animals , such as birds and monkeys, are also known to harm themselves. Although the 20th-century psychiatrist Karl Menninger is often credited with the initial clinical characterization of self-harm, self-harm is not a new phenomenon. There is frequent reference in 19th-century clinical literature and asylum records which make
3650-496: The emergency department. Both people who self-harm and staff in the study highlighted the failure of the healthcare system to support, the lack of specialist care. People who self-harm in the study often felt shame or being judged due to their condition, and said that being listened to and validated gave them hope. At the same time staff experienced frustration from being powerless to help and were afraid of being blamed if someone died by suicide. There are also difficulties in meeting
3723-620: The extent of this association, which is significant both at the cross-sectional ( odds ratio = 1.569, 95% confidence interval [1.167-2.108]) and longitudinal (odds ratio = 2.569, 95% confidence interval [2.207-3.256]) levels, and highlighting the role of the chronic use of the substance, and the presence of depressive symptoms or of mental disorders as factors that might increase the risk of self-injury among cannabis users. Self-injury may result in serious injury and scarring. While non-suicidal self-injury by definition lacks suicidal intent, it may nonetheless result in accidental death. While
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#17327945106383796-444: The female rate of self-harm exceeded that of the males, with the highest rate among females in the 13–24 age group and the highest rate among males in the 12–34 age group. However, this discrepancy has been known to vary significantly depending upon population and methodological criteria, consistent with wide-ranging uncertainties in gathering and interpreting data regarding rates of self-harm in general. Such problems have sometimes been
3869-481: The focus of criticism in the context of broader psychosocial interpretation. For example, feminist author Barbara Brickman has speculated that reported gender differences in rates of self-harm are due to deliberate socially biased methodological and sampling errors, directly blaming medical discourse for pathologising the female. This gender discrepancy is often distorted in specific populations where rates of self-harm are inordinately high, which may have implications on
3942-467: The help they needed. Since they failed to help their parents overcome these obstacles, they feel as if their parents failed because of them. Hence they then use harming themselves as a coping mechanism for their guilt and failure. Freud additionally states that the aggression in self-destructive behavior is influenced by a personal motive. Just as cultural and environmental factors can play an important role of this, social factors can as well. For example, if
4015-1015: The lack of realization of healthy coping mechanisms . Because there is not a lot of focus on specific mental health problems, such as self-destructive behavior, people are not being educated on specific ways that could benefit or even prevent these people from acting out, leading to self-destructive actions. According to the findings of a clinical research study, while a lack of stable relationships facilitates self-destructive actions, childhood trauma leads to its beginning and everlasting effects. Moreover, individuals who often commit suicide or self-harm are more likely to experience flashbacks to childhood abuse, mistreatment, and rejection while they are under stress. Also, dissociative episodes and self-destructive actions may be triggered by situations involving psychological safety, rage, and emotional needs. Additionally, people who have experienced some form of trauma, such as abuse or neglect , can develop psychological issues that can lead to bigger problems. Aside from this,
4088-490: The life-time risk of self-injury is ~1:7 for women and ~1:25 for men. Aggregated research has found no difference in the prevalence of self-harm between men and women. This contrasts with previous studies, which suggested that up to four times as many females as males have direct experience of self-harm, which many had argued was rather the result of data collection biases. The WHO /EURO Multicentre Study of Suicide, established in 1989, demonstrated that, for each age group,
4161-453: The mind from feelings that are causing anguish. This may be achieved by tricking the mind into believing that the present suffering being felt is caused by the self-harm instead of the issues they were facing previously: the physical pain therefore acts as a distraction from the original emotional pain. To complement this theory, one can consider the need to "stop" feeling emotional pain and mental agitation. Alternatively, self-harm may be
4234-627: The motivations for self harm vary, the most commonly endorsed reason for self harm given by adolescents is "to get relief from a terrible state of mind". Young people with a history of repeated episodes of self harm are more likely to self-harm into adulthood, and are at higher risk of suicide. In older adults, influenced by a combination of interconnected individual, societal, and healthcare factors, including financial and interpersonal problems and comorbid physical conditions and pain, with increased loneliness, perceived burdensomeness of ageing, and loss of control reported as particular motivations. There
4307-482: The need of patients that self-harm in mental healthcare. Studies have shown that staff found the care for people who self-harm emotionally challenging and they experienced an overwhelming responsibility in preventing the patients from self-harming and the care focuses mainly on maintaining the safety for the patients, for example by removing dangerous items or physical restraint, even if it is believed to be ineffective. Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A)
4380-478: The ones to act out and take part in self-destructive behavior. Freud concluded that self-destructive behavior is influenced by one's ego or superego and aggression. Depending on how strongly influenced one is, it will increase the intensity of one's destructive behavior. Guilt is a leading factor for one's superego . For instance, growing up with alcoholic parents can increase one's self-destructive behavior because they feel guilty that they did not provide them with
4453-465: The past. When the definition of self-harm was expanded to include head-banging, scratching oneself, and hitting oneself along with cutting and burning, 32% of the sample said they had done this. In Ireland, a study found that instances of hospital-treated self-harm were much higher in city and urban districts, than in rural settings. The CASE (Child & Adolescent Self-harm in Europe) study suggests that
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#17327945106384526-713: The patient. However, limited studies show that professional assessments tend to suggest more manipulative or punitive motives than personal assessments. A UK Office for National Statistics study reported only two motives: "to draw attention" and "because of anger". For some people, harming themselves can be a means of drawing attention to the need for help and to ask for assistance in an indirect way. It may also be an attempt to affect others and to manipulate them in some way emotionally. However, those with chronic, repetitive self-harm often do not want attention and hide their scars carefully. Many people who self-harm state that it allows them to "go away" or dissociate , separating
4599-432: The rare genetic condition Lesch–Nyhan syndrome is uncontrollable self-harm and self-mutilation, and may include biting (particularly of the skin , nails , and lips) and head-banging. Genetics may contribute to the risk of developing other psychological conditions, such as anxiety or depression, which could in turn lead to self-harming behavior. However, the link between genetics and self-harm in otherwise healthy patients
4672-529: The relation between cannabis use and deliberate self-harm (DSH) in Norway and England found that, in general, cannabis use may not be a specific risk factor for DSH in young adolescents. Smoking has also been associated with both non-suicidal self injury and suicide attempts in adolescents, although the nature of the relationship is unclear. A 2021 meta-analysis on literature concerning the association between cannabis use and self-injurious behaviors has defined
4745-629: The relief that will follow. For some self-harmers this relief is primarily psychological while for others this feeling of relief comes from the beta endorphins released in the brain. Endorphins are endogenous opioids that are released in response to physical injury, acting as natural painkillers and inducing pleasant feelings, and in response to self-harm would act to reduce tension and emotional distress. Many people do not feel physical pain when self-harming. Studies of clinical and non-clinical populations suggest that people who engage in self-harm have higher pain thresholds and tolerance in general, although
4818-987: The sight of others. Neither the DSM-IV-TR nor the ICD-10 provide diagnostic criteria for self-harm. It is often seen as only a symptom of an underlying disorder, though many people who self-harm would like this to be addressed. Although some people who self-harm do not have any form of recognized mental disorder, self-harm often co-occurs with psychiatric conditions. Self-harm is for example associated with eating disorders, autism spectrum disorders , borderline personality disorder , dissociative disorders , bipolar disorder , depression , phobias , and conduct disorders . As many as 70% of individuals with borderline personality disorder engage in self-harm. An estimated 30% of individuals with autism spectrum disorders engage in self-harm at some point, including eye-poking, skin-picking , hand-biting, and head-banging. According to
4891-510: The significance and interpretation of psychosocial factors other than gender. A study in 2003 found an extremely high prevalence of self-harm among 428 homeless and runaway youths (aged 16–19) with 72% of males and 66% of females reporting a history of self-harm. However, in 2008, a study of young people and self-harm saw the gender gap widen in the opposite direction, with 32% of young females, and 22% of young males admitting to self-harm. Studies also indicate that males who self-harm may also be at
4964-509: The skin with a sharp object or scratching with the fingernails, hitting , or burning . The exact bounds of self-harm are imprecise, but generally exclude tissue damage that occurs as an unintended side-effect of eating disorders or substance abuse , as well as more societally acceptable body modification such as tattoos and piercings . Although self-harm is non-suicidal by definition, it may still be life-threatening. Those who self-harm are more likely to die by suicide, and self-harm
5037-417: The traditions, symbolism, and beliefs of a society" (p. 226). Practices are historically transient and cosmetic such as piercing of earlobes, nose, eyebrows as well as male circumcision while deviant self-mutilation is equivalent to self-harm. Self-harm (SH), self-injury (SI), nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are different terms to describe tissue damage that
5110-434: The underlying causes, or on treating the behavior itself. Other approaches involve avoidance techniques, which focus on keeping the individual occupied with other activities, or replacing the act of self-harm with safer methods that do not lead to permanent damage. Self-harm tends to begin in adolescence . Self-harm in childhood is relatively rare, but the rate has been increasing since the 1980s. Self-harm can also occur in
5183-409: The urge to harm themselves. The removal of objects used for self-harm from easy reach is also helpful for resisting self-harming urges. The provision of a card that allows the person to make emergency contact with counselling services should the urge to self-harm arise may also help prevent the act of self-harm. Some providers may recommend harm-reduction techniques such as snapping of a rubber band on
5256-413: The way to recovery. The stages founded by Prochaska and DiClemente (1982) included precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. For body-focused repetitive behaviors , such as trichotillomania and nail-biting , habit reversal training and decoupling are effective according to meta-analytic evidence. A 2021 study stated that Nuclei accumbens stimulation could be
5329-534: The wrist, but there is no consensus as to the efficacy of this approach. It is difficult to gain an accurate picture of incidence and prevalence of self-harm. Even with sufficient monitoring resources, self-harm is usually unreported, with instances taking place in private and wounds being treated by the self-harming individual. Recorded figures can be based on three sources: psychiatric samples, hospital admissions and general population surveys. A 2015 meta-analysis of reported self-harm among 600,000 adolescents found
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