Articles: Ways to Cope With and Treat Self-Harm
By Sarah Meedel
Cutting, burning, bruising, hair-pulling and breaking bones are not our society's accepted methods of problem-solving. But for a portion of the population, inflicting injury onto themselves is most satisfying.
*The Gateway recently had a chance to speak with John Lehnhoff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Richard Young Center, to get his professional opinion on the matter.
"There is not a separate diagnostic category for self-harm," Lehnhoff says. "It can be a symptom of depressive disorders or post-traumatic stress disorders."
The link between self-injury and suicide is often a myth.
"Most who deliberately self-harm aren't doing it as an attempt to end their life," Lehnhoff says.
In fact, he says many cases of self-mutilation do not require immediate medical attention. However, in order to stop hurting oneself and the ones around them, help of some sort is needed eventually.
The Richard Young Center offers multiple classes and counseling in order to help people heal. The focus is on building self-esteem and emotion regulation, as well as other positive wellness aspects.
"Many people recover from self-harm through very long-term outpatient therapy," Lehnhoff says.
The outpatient therapy can include support groups, which may help a person feel more confident about achieving the goal of stopping the personal abuse. Lehnhoff also suggests that people who self-injure stay away from harmful people and situations.
*Secret Shame, a Web site for self-injury information and support, offers some suggestions that have worked for reformed self-abusers. There are numerous motivations behind self-mutilation and just as many proposed solutions. The authors of the site categorize the different ways of dealing with wanting to hurt oneself, depending on the reasoning of the urge.
When the desire to harm is of frustration or anger, *Secret Shame suggests doing something physical and violent but not directed at a living thing. Examples are ripping up an old newspaper or phone book, hitting a pillow against a wall, breaking sticks or throwing ice at bricks hard enough so they shatter.
For those who want to cause physical harm to themselves due to depression or sadness, instead try something more comforting. Try taking a hot bath, listen to soothing music, curl up in bed and watch a favorite movie or visit a friend.
To deal with a craving for pain without causing more than temporary damage, try something more creative. Suggestions are to put ice in the palms and squeeze hard, chew a hot pepper, snap the wrist with a rubber band, take a cold bath or rub liniment under the nose.
Cutting is the most common abuse among people who self-harm. Those who cut might have an urge to see blood. To overcome this, try a food coloring and warm water mixture, red ink or tempera paint to give the effect of blood.
These are not guaranteed solutions, but they might be worth a try to halt self-destructive behavior.
For the friends and family of those who self-injure, there is some information to be aware of. *Secret Shame gives some insight for those who surround the person who self-harms. For example, the site suggests not taking it personally.
"Self-injurious behavior is more about the person who does it than the people around them," *Secret Shame says.
It typically is not intended to be used as a guilt trip or to manipulate others.
The site also suggests not giving severe ultimatums. Oftentimes, this can drive the behavior to become secretive, which makes it harder to help.
Lehnhoff agrees with this to some degree: "You don't want to ignore a problem when it's in your face. But you don't want to lose your own cool and do a bunch of insults or invalidations."
Lehnhoff also suggests trying to encourage the person who self-harms to seek professional treatment.
He also says: "One of the things that helps is the family and friends do not belittle one another and have a respect for feelings." Lehnhoff says respect for feelings often does not happen in families of those who self-injure.
With the recent passing of National Self-Injury Awareness Day on March 1, it is to be noted 1 percent of the American population commits injurious acts against themselves, according to the American Self-Harm Clearinghouse. That may not seem like very much, but given the United States current population is 256,555,131 people, that leaves an average of 256,551 who are causing harm to themselves. Something to think about.
*The Gateway recently had a chance to speak with John Lehnhoff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Richard Young Center, to get his professional opinion on the matter.
"There is not a separate diagnostic category for self-harm," Lehnhoff says. "It can be a symptom of depressive disorders or post-traumatic stress disorders."
The link between self-injury and suicide is often a myth.
"Most who deliberately self-harm aren't doing it as an attempt to end their life," Lehnhoff says.
In fact, he says many cases of self-mutilation do not require immediate medical attention. However, in order to stop hurting oneself and the ones around them, help of some sort is needed eventually.
The Richard Young Center offers multiple classes and counseling in order to help people heal. The focus is on building self-esteem and emotion regulation, as well as other positive wellness aspects.
"Many people recover from self-harm through very long-term outpatient therapy," Lehnhoff says.
The outpatient therapy can include support groups, which may help a person feel more confident about achieving the goal of stopping the personal abuse. Lehnhoff also suggests that people who self-injure stay away from harmful people and situations.
*Secret Shame, a Web site for self-injury information and support, offers some suggestions that have worked for reformed self-abusers. There are numerous motivations behind self-mutilation and just as many proposed solutions. The authors of the site categorize the different ways of dealing with wanting to hurt oneself, depending on the reasoning of the urge.
When the desire to harm is of frustration or anger, *Secret Shame suggests doing something physical and violent but not directed at a living thing. Examples are ripping up an old newspaper or phone book, hitting a pillow against a wall, breaking sticks or throwing ice at bricks hard enough so they shatter.
For those who want to cause physical harm to themselves due to depression or sadness, instead try something more comforting. Try taking a hot bath, listen to soothing music, curl up in bed and watch a favorite movie or visit a friend.
To deal with a craving for pain without causing more than temporary damage, try something more creative. Suggestions are to put ice in the palms and squeeze hard, chew a hot pepper, snap the wrist with a rubber band, take a cold bath or rub liniment under the nose.
Cutting is the most common abuse among people who self-harm. Those who cut might have an urge to see blood. To overcome this, try a food coloring and warm water mixture, red ink or tempera paint to give the effect of blood.
These are not guaranteed solutions, but they might be worth a try to halt self-destructive behavior.
For the friends and family of those who self-injure, there is some information to be aware of. *Secret Shame gives some insight for those who surround the person who self-harms. For example, the site suggests not taking it personally.
"Self-injurious behavior is more about the person who does it than the people around them," *Secret Shame says.
It typically is not intended to be used as a guilt trip or to manipulate others.
The site also suggests not giving severe ultimatums. Oftentimes, this can drive the behavior to become secretive, which makes it harder to help.
Lehnhoff agrees with this to some degree: "You don't want to ignore a problem when it's in your face. But you don't want to lose your own cool and do a bunch of insults or invalidations."
Lehnhoff also suggests trying to encourage the person who self-harms to seek professional treatment.
He also says: "One of the things that helps is the family and friends do not belittle one another and have a respect for feelings." Lehnhoff says respect for feelings often does not happen in families of those who self-injure.
With the recent passing of National Self-Injury Awareness Day on March 1, it is to be noted 1 percent of the American population commits injurious acts against themselves, according to the American Self-Harm Clearinghouse. That may not seem like very much, but given the United States current population is 256,555,131 people, that leaves an average of 256,551 who are causing harm to themselves. Something to think about.