Self Injury Treatments

Self Harm

What is Self Harm?

The terms "self harm" or "self injury" are used when an individual has inflicted a deliberate injury to their own body. There are a number of reasons why someone may inflict self injury, some as simple as just wanting attention. But other reasons for the self harm are much more serious and often times beyond the individual's control. For example, the injury may be to deal with unstable emotions, or the person may be suffering from a mental illness, an eating disorder, low self-esteem or they may have been a victim of abuse. For these individuals, self injury treatments should be administered as soon as possible to limit further harm.

Examples of Self Harm

The definition of self harm is quite broad and it can stretch to include exterior bodily injury (e.g. compulsive tattooing) as well as interior (disordered eating). Perhaps the most common, or at least the most sensationalized, type of self injury treatment is for the process called "cutting." Cutting is when someone uses a blade to cut thin, non-lethal lacerations on their body as a way to cope with their feelings. The cuts are typically made on the arms, legs, inner thighs and abdomen.

It's important to understand that most cases of self harm are not a reflection of a suicidal person, although for the outsider looking in, it may look like it is. Self harm is a coping method used by some people to relieve their unbearable emotional pain or discomfort.

Other methods of self harm may include:

• Biting one's hands, lips, tongue or arms
• Self-choking
• Scratching, pinching or hitting oneself
• Self-inflicted cigarette burns
• Self-inflicted eraser burns
• Stabbing oneself or carving words or symbols on skin with needles, pins, nails or other sharp objects
• Pulling out hair
• Picking scabs to prevent or prolong healing wounds
• Overdosing on medication or alcohol without suicidal intent
• Ingestion of chemicals, pins or batteries

Successful self injury treatments have to be able to manage the emotional, as well as the physical, aspects of the condition.

Signs of Self Harm

People who self harm themselves may try to conceal their scars or injuries by wearing baggy clothing or body-covering clothes like long-sleeved shirts and pants. If their injuries are discovered, they will typically offer an alternative explanation as to how they occurred. The individual will also avoid swimming in the summer and act guarded when changing clothes. Other warning signs include:

• Cuts, scratches, burns or scars
• Bruises
• Broken bones
• Depression
• Creating artwork that features a lot of black or red
• May sit with a pillow covering their legs or quickly change sitting position when someone enters the room
• Razors may be missing or found in the trash
• Person may be withdrawn or wish to be alone
• The person may keep sharp objects on hand
• The person may often hold ice to their skin
• The person may draw on their arms with red marker, food coloring or paint (a sign that they are wanting help)
• The person may wear a lot of bracelets, or a rubber band on the wrist that they can snap whenever they need to (another sign of wanting to stop self injury)

If the process of locating the best eating disorder treatment program for you becomes confusing and a bit overwhelming, you can always call the national eating disorder helpline at 1-800-542-4610.

Who is at Risk for Self Harm?

Teens are at high risk of inflicting self harm as they tend to have difficulty managing their emotions. Some of the most common cases of teenage self injury involve those who have been raised in an environment that discourages the expression of anger. Other scenarios that place teens at high risk include the loss of a parent, peer pressure, childhood abuse or troubled relationships.

People with various types of mental illness are also at risk. Self harm can be a direct result of someone's internal battle with depression, conduct disorders, eating disorders or phobias. Additionally, people who are suffering from alcoholism or drug abuse are also at high risk for self injury.

Treating Self Injury

The difficult thing about self harm is that over time, it can become an addiction. As such, it is often treated just like any other addiction, through therapy, medication and in some severe cases, hospitalization. Some methods of self injury treatment include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Family and group therapy
• Antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications
• Hypnosis
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

If the patient has a secondary addiction, like drugs or alcohol, then treatment in a dual diagnosis facility is recommended. Dual diagnosis programs feature physicians and staff personnel specially trained for managing the care for a person with multiple health concerns. When looking for a dual diagnosis treatment facility, be sure to choose one that is licensed by the state in which it resides and is accredited by the J.C.A.H.O (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization).