Self-harm, also known as self-injury, is a non-suicidal, intentional act of harming one’s own body. Patients may cut, burn, or scratch to provide a temporary release from overwhelming feelings. However, after self-harm, patients frequently experience guilt and shame, and their painful emotions return and worsen.
While the goal of self-harm is not to cause life-threatening injury, it is still harmful.
Entails serious complications, such as:
- Strong negative emotions of shame and guilt
- A lack of self-esteem
- Diseases
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Uncontrollable bruising
- Exacerbation of underlying mental health issues
- Serious and potentially fatal injury
Although self-injury is not usually a suicide attempt, the pattern of damaging the body in times of distress can increase the likelihood of suicide.
Receiving the right care can assist you or a loved one in discovering more effective coping mechanisms. It is possible to overcome self-harming disorder.
Types of Self-Harm and Common Behavior
Most patients who self-harm do so discreetly and deliberately. It frequently affects the torso, legs, and arms. Self-harm can develop into a chronic condition even when it is only done a few times.
Examples of self-injury include:
- Cutting yourself
- Punching yourself or punching things
- Burning yourself with cigarettes, matches, or candles
- Pulling out your hair
- Poking objects through body openings
- Breaking your bones or bruising yourself
What Are the Risk Factors for Self-Harming Disorder and Behavior?
The following are some factors that could raise the risk of self-harm:
- Age: Young adults and teenagers are most likely to harm themselves because they start tackling conflict, loneliness, and peer pressure.
- Friends: Patients are more likely to harm themselves if they have friends who do it themselves.
- Trauma: If a patient has endured neglect, abuse, or other difficult experiences.
- They may have a higher risk of self-harm after traumatic events.
- Identity: People who are having personal identity issues, particularly young people.
- Self-harm can be a coping mechanism for identity or sexuality.
- Social isolation: Some patients who self-harm are, or feel, isolated from their peers.
- Characteristics: Patients who self-harm tend to be self-critical.
- Mental disorders, such as borderline personality disorder
- Drug or alcohol abuse: Some patients may resort in self-harming behavior if they are abusing drugs and alcohol.
Can Self-Harming Disorders and Behavior Be Prevented?
The best way to lessen the likelihood of someone hurting themselves is to offer or ask for assistance. Learning healthy coping mechanisms, making friends, and talking about harmful influences can all aid patients in their recovery and lessen the urge to harm themselves.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harming Disorder and Behavior?
Signs and symptoms of self-harming disorder and behavior include:
- Always cover up in long sleeves or long pants
- Behavioral and emotional instability
- Expressing helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
- Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bites, or wounds
- Impulsivity
- Issues social and with interpersonal relationships
- Excessive accidental injuries
- An affinity for playing with sharp objects
- Scars on the skin in patterns or shapes
- Unpredictability
How Are Self-Harming Disorder and Behavior Diagnosed?
Self-harming disorder is diagnosed based on both a physical and psychological assessment.
Your doctor will examine you for suicidal tendencies before treating any physical wounds. After that, your doctor might inquire about your medical history, including how you feel when you harm yourself, how long you’ve been doing it, and what kinds of wounds you’ve caused. For the best possible treatment, additional evaluations may be required if the doctor suspects underlying mental health issues or a risk for suicide.
Self-harming tendencies are frequently motivated by unpleasant feelings. Taking on the causes at the heart of self-injury can be intimidating. It can be challenging to end the cycle.
The team of skilled physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals at Open Arms Life Center is committed to offering patients and their families compassionate, private care.
How Are Self-Harming Disorders and Behavior Treated?
The behavioral health care staff at Open Arms Life Center collaborates with you and your family to create a treatment strategy that is tailored to your individual requirements. When it comes to treating patients who self-injure, our staff is skilled. Your life may become significantly impacted by self-harm. Taking care of your self-injury behavior requires effort and time. Recovery is also possible with the right assistance.
The compassionate staff at Open Arms Life Center is committed to assisting patients in severe emotional or physical suffering and the people they love.
Doctors, nurses, clinical care managers, and behavioral health technicians make up the care team. We collaborate with you to create a personalized treatment plan that will take into account your unique needs and aid in your recovery.
Make an appointment by calling 480-454-4939 on the Open Arms Appointment Line.
Call the Open Arms Life Center or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or 988 if you or a loved one is in serious distress or seems suicidal.
You can speak with a qualified behavioral health professional by calling this hotline. It is available all the time for no charge. It is also possible to chat online. Dial 911 if there is an emergency.
Let us know about your psychiatric-related inquiries. Please send us a message to get started.