Articles: Self-injury among teens
By Meera Sekar, Sanaz Mobasseri, Gillian Bregman and Laila Saied
You might not have heard of self-injury, but it's a disorder that is being discussed more and more, especially among teen- agers.
Self-injury is a coping mechanism for dealing with bigger problems in one's life. Motivations for cutting or mutilating the self differ from individual to individual. Sometimes, self-injury is associated with
problems such as anorexia, bulimia, post-traumatic stress syndrome and
borderline personality disorder.
Self-injury can take several forms, including cutting, burning, hitting and any kind of self-mutilation. A definition of self-injury from Winchel and Stanley (1991) is "the commission of deliberate harm to one's own
body. The injury is done to oneself, without the aid of another person, and the injury is severe enough for tissue damage (such as scarring) to result."
Excluded are acts committed with conscious suicidal intent or associated with sexual arousal.
Some experts view self-injury as one of society's fastest-growing disorders. Based on studies and clinical observations, they estimate that 1,400 of every 100,000 people in the United States have engaged in some form of
self-injurious behavior, according to "Bodily Harm," a book by Karen Conterio and Wendy Lader.
"Self-injury knows no geographic, cultural or class boundaries," the authors wrote. "From the corn-fed public high schools of America's
heartland to the polished corridors of New York City's elite private schools, teachers
and counselors report an alarming rise in the number of students who come to class with scars."
Gary Spezia, a counselor at University Laboratory High School, said a handful of students who have engaged in self-injury have sought his help this year. After Uni's Teen Awareness Committee (TAC) recently hosted a
lunch-time discussion on self-injury, attended by about 30 students, another student approached Spezia to talk about the issue.
Spezia said self-injury is generally more common among teens and young adults.
According to the award-winning NetPsych.com Web site:
When dealing with these emotions and issues people sometimes want a quick release from what they are feeling. While self-injuring, some people feel euphoria and others block the entire experience from their memories. (One Uni student said he had blackouts when he cut himself and could not remember the actual act of cutting.)
Experts on NetPsych.com offered this advice to people who believe a friend or relative is injuring him or herself:
There is really no simple, quick solution to self-injury, said Julie Eisengart and Colleen Conley, both University of Illinois graduate
students who are in a clinical practicum on adolescent stress and depression. Professional
help is almost always necessary in cases of self injury, they said.
MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn has a partial-hospitalization program for
patients who engage in self-injurious behavior. The program SAFE (Self-Abuse
Finally Ends) Alternatives was developed by Wendy Lader and has an affiliated Web site and hotline. The Web address is www.safe-alternatives.com and the hotline is 800-DONT CUT.
Self-injury is a coping mechanism for dealing with bigger problems in one's life. Motivations for cutting or mutilating the self differ from individual to individual. Sometimes, self-injury is associated with
problems such as anorexia, bulimia, post-traumatic stress syndrome and
borderline personality disorder.
Self-injury can take several forms, including cutting, burning, hitting and any kind of self-mutilation. A definition of self-injury from Winchel and Stanley (1991) is "the commission of deliberate harm to one's own
body. The injury is done to oneself, without the aid of another person, and the injury is severe enough for tissue damage (such as scarring) to result."
Excluded are acts committed with conscious suicidal intent or associated with sexual arousal.
Some experts view self-injury as one of society's fastest-growing disorders. Based on studies and clinical observations, they estimate that 1,400 of every 100,000 people in the United States have engaged in some form of
self-injurious behavior, according to "Bodily Harm," a book by Karen Conterio and Wendy Lader.
"Self-injury knows no geographic, cultural or class boundaries," the authors wrote. "From the corn-fed public high schools of America's
heartland to the polished corridors of New York City's elite private schools, teachers
and counselors report an alarming rise in the number of students who come to class with scars."
Gary Spezia, a counselor at University Laboratory High School, said a handful of students who have engaged in self-injury have sought his help this year. After Uni's Teen Awareness Committee (TAC) recently hosted a
lunch-time discussion on self-injury, attended by about 30 students, another student approached Spezia to talk about the issue.
Spezia said self-injury is generally more common among teens and young adults.
According to the award-winning NetPsych.com Web site:
- Self-injury is usually a result of problems such as depression, rejection, self-hatred, emptiness, stress, guilt and inability to cope with psychological problems. Other factors that might trigger self-injury: abuse as a child, the need to punish one's self for being "bad," or the attempt to
maintain a sense of control over one's body.
When dealing with these emotions and issues people sometimes want a quick release from what they are feeling. While self-injuring, some people feel euphoria and others block the entire experience from their memories. (One Uni student said he had blackouts when he cut himself and could not remember the actual act of cutting.)
Experts on NetPsych.com offered this advice to people who believe a friend or relative is injuring him or herself:
- Use your judgment before telling him or her to stop harming him or herself. Don't set limitations and don't give someone ultimatums. This works only to distance the
person you really care about.
The best course of action is to make the person know that you care and make them feel loved. Try to understand where they are coming from. Don't allow them to feel disgusting or repulsive.
Direct them toward the help of their parents or a counselor.
Random acts of kindness can help you develop a more trusting relationship with someone who self-injures. Although some people self- injure because they feel empty or depressed, it is never just a plea for attention. Also,
remember that self-injury is a coping mechanism, not a sequence of suicide attempts.
There is really no simple, quick solution to self-injury, said Julie Eisengart and Colleen Conley, both University of Illinois graduate
students who are in a clinical practicum on adolescent stress and depression. Professional
help is almost always necessary in cases of self injury, they said.
MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn has a partial-hospitalization program for
patients who engage in self-injurious behavior. The program SAFE (Self-Abuse
Finally Ends) Alternatives was developed by Wendy Lader and has an affiliated Web site and hotline. The Web address is www.safe-alternatives.com and the hotline is 800-DONT CUT.