Mental Health and Self Injury

Self injury is described as any deliberate injury to one’s own body, often called self-harm, self-mutilation, or simply cutting. Self-injury usually leaves marks or causes damage to tissue. The act of purposely injuring your own body, such as cutting or burning oneself, is non-suicidal self-injury, also simply called self-injury. Usually, it’s not planned as a suicide attempt. Instead a dangerous way to cope with emotional distress, extreme rage and resentment is this form of self-injury.

Although self-injury can bring a momentary sense of relaxation and a release of stress, guilt and shame and the return of painful emotions generally accompany it. Though life-threatening injuries are typically not expected, the risk of more severe and even fatal self-aggressive acts comes with self-injury.

Self-injury can include any of the following attitudes:

⦁Cutting

⦁Burning (or hot-object branding)

⦁Excessive piercing or tattooing of the body

⦁Skin picking or reopening of wounds

⦁Hair-pulling (trichotillomania)

⦁Head-banging around

⦁Hitting (with an object or hammer)

⦁Bone-breaks

Many people who indulge in self-injury behave individually rather than in groups. They try to cover their actions as well.

Who is more likely to become involved in self-injury?

Self-injury occurs across the spectrum; education, age, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or religion do not regulate behavior. Self-injury, however most frequently occurs between:

⦁Female Teenagers

⦁People with a history of physical, psychological, or sexual violence

⦁People with co-existing drug abuse problems, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or eating disorders

⦁People who were often raised in communities that prevented the expression of frustration

⦁Individuals who lack skills to communicate their feelings and lack a strong network of social support

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of self-injury may include:

⦁Scars, often in patterns

⦁Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks or other wounds

⦁Excessive rubbing of an area to create a burn

⦁Keeping sharp objects on hand

⦁Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather

⦁Frequent reports of accidental injury

⦁Difficulties in interpersonal relationships

⦁Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsivity and unpredictability

⦁Statements of helplessness, hopelessness or worthlessness

Warning Signs of Self-Injury

Signs that a person may be involved in self-injury include:

⦁Wearing long sleeves and trousers in mild weather

⦁The presence of lighters, razors, or sharp objects that would not be expected in the belongings of an individual

⦁Poor self-esteem for oneself

⦁Difficulty controlling emotions

⦁Troubles with relationships

⦁Working poorly at work, school, or at home

Self-Injury Diagnosed

A mental health professional with self-injury experience should be consulted if a person shows signs of self-injury. This individual will be able to make an assessment and recommend a course of therapy. Self-injury can be a sign of mental disorder, such as:

⦁Personality (especially borderline personality disorder) disorders

⦁Disorders of drug use

⦁Bipolar disruption

⦁Significant Depression

⦁Anxiety (particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder) disorders

⦁With schizophrenia

Self-Injury Treatment

Self-injury care can include:

⦁Psychotherapy: Medication may be used to help a person avoid self-injury involvement.

⦁Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT is a group and individual recovery programme that helps individuals achieve greater control of self-destructive impulses (such as self-injury), learn ways to handle pain better, and through strategies such as mindfulness develop new coping skills.

⦁Community therapy: Talking to people with similar issues about your condition in a group environment can be helpful in minimizing the stigma associated with self-harm and encouraging healthy expression of emotions.

⦁Family counselling: This form of therapy addresses any history of behavior-related family tension and may help family members learn to interact with each other more explicitly and openly.

⦁Hypnosis and other methods of self-relaxation: These tools are effective in reducing stress and anxiety that frequently precede self-injury events.

⦁Drugs: Antidepressants. To decrease the initial impulsive reaction to stress, low-dose antipsychotics or anti-anxiety medication can be used.

Risk factors

Teenagers and young adults are the majority of individuals who self-injure, while those in other age ranges still self-injure. In the preteen or early teen years, self-injury frequently starts when feelings are more volatile and teenagers experience rising peer pressure, isolation, and disputes with parents or other figures of authority.

The danger of self-injury may be increased by certain factors, including:

⦁Getting mates who hurt themselves- People who have friends who injure themselves deliberately are more likely to begin self-injuring.

⦁Issues in life – Any people who are injured have been ignored, sexually, mentally or emotionally abused, or other traumatic incidents have occurred. They may have grown up and still remain in an unstable family environment, or they may be young people questioning their personal identity or sexuality. Some people who self-injure are socially isolated.

⦁Mental health issues – People who self-injure are more likely to be highly self-critical and be poor problem-solvers. In addition, self-injury is commonly associated with certain mental disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders.

⦁Alcohol or drug use-  People who harm themselves often do so while under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.