Self Injury What Is It? And Self Injury What Is It? And How Can You Help.How Can You Help.

Mrs. Foan & Mrs. VanWormerMrs. Foan & Mrs. VanWormer

Self Injurious BehaviorSelf Injurious Behavior

Definition : Definition : Self-injury (self-harm, self-inflicted violence, self-Self-injury (self-harm, self-inflicted violence, self-mutilationmutilation) can be defined as the attempt to deliberately ) can be defined as the attempt to deliberately cause harm to one's own body and the injury is usually cause harm to one's own body and the injury is usually severe enough to cause tissue damage. This is not a severe enough to cause tissue damage. This is not a conscious attempt at suicide, though some people may see conscious attempt at suicide, though some people may see it that way. it that way.

Most commonly known as “cutting”.Most commonly known as “cutting”. Other forms of self injurious behavior: burning, branding, Other forms of self injurious behavior: burning, branding,

punching, pinching, head banging, hair pulling, scab punching, pinching, head banging, hair pulling, scab picking, bruising oneself and drinking harmful/painful picking, bruising oneself and drinking harmful/painful chemicals.chemicals.

Why Do Teens Self-Injure:Why Do Teens Self-Injure:

Self-injury is their way to cope with or relieve Self-injury is their way to cope with or relieve painful, hard-to-express, or overwhelming painful, hard-to-express, or overwhelming negative emotions/feelings. negative emotions/feelings.

Teenagers often report they have no adult to Teenagers often report they have no adult to talk with or people who accept them for who talk with or people who accept them for who they are.they are.

Set off by certain events.Set off by certain events.

Why Do Teens Self-Injur :Why Do Teens Self-Injur :

Teens don’t know how to express regarding Teens don’t know how to express regarding anger and sadness.anger and sadness.

They turn emotional pain on themselves.They turn emotional pain on themselves. Anger from emotional to physical.Anger from emotional to physical.

Types of Self Injury:Types of Self Injury:

The rarest and most extreme form is The rarest and most extreme form is Major self-Major self-mutilationmutilation. This form usually results in permanent . This form usually results in permanent disfigurement, i.e. limb amputationdisfigurement, i.e. limb amputation

Second type is Second type is Stereo-typic self-mutilationStereo-typic self-mutilation which usually consists of head banging, eyeball which usually consists of head banging, eyeball pressing and biting. pressing and biting.

The third and most common form is The third and most common form is Superficial Superficial self-mutilationself-mutilation which usually involves cutting, which usually involves cutting, burning, hair-pulling, bone breaking, hitting, burning, hair-pulling, bone breaking, hitting, interference with wound healing and basically any interference with wound healing and basically any method used to harm oneself. method used to harm oneself.

Superficial self-injury…..”cutting”Superficial self-injury…..”cutting”

Facts & ResearchFacts & Research

estimated 1% of the US population and estimated 1% of the US population and rising – population currently 300 million - rising – population currently 300 million -

higher proportion of females than males higher proportion of females than males onset of self injury is at puberty onset of self injury is at puberty middle to upper class middle to upper class average to high intelligence, and has low average to high intelligence, and has low

self-esteem self-esteem

Injurers BackgroundInjurers Background

Sexual abuseSexual abuse Physical abusePhysical abuse Unstable home life- Unstable home life-

“lack of love”“lack of love” Family substance Family substance

abuse issuesabuse issues Learned from a friend Learned from a friend

“contagious”“contagious”

Early childhood loss : Early childhood loss : mother, father, close mother, father, close relativerelative

Bullied at schoolBullied at school Feelings of Feelings of

helplessnesshelplessness DepressionDepression Mental Health Mental Health

diagnosisdiagnosis

Cutting …….Cutting …….

More Cutting and Burning…..More Cutting and Burning…..

Why Injure???Why Injure???

It's a way for them to have some control It's a way for them to have some control over their own bodies when they feel they over their own bodies when they feel they can't cope with anything else. can't cope with anything else.

Some see it as a way of being able to Some see it as a way of being able to feelfeel when they feel empty about everything else.when they feel empty about everything else.

Self-injurers commonly report they feel Self-injurers commonly report they feel empty inside, over or under stimulated, empty inside, over or under stimulated, lonely, and/or not understood by others.lonely, and/or not understood by others.

Feelings:Feelings: Fear of AbandonmentFear of Abandonment

Failure (real or imagined)Failure (real or imagined)

Anger IssuesAnger Issues

For ComfortFor Comfort

As a form of punishmentAs a form of punishment

To avoid showing emotions to To avoid showing emotions to another personanother person

To avoid appearing weak (real To avoid appearing weak (real or imagined)or imagined)

Hate toward another or hatred Hate toward another or hatred toward selftoward self

EmbarrassmentEmbarrassment

Guilt, Fear, SadnessGuilt, Fear, Sadness

To avoid feelingTo avoid feeling

Overwhelming emotionsOverwhelming emotions

When all other coping mechanisWhen all other coping mechanisms no longer workms no longer work

Warning SignsWarning Signs

Unexplained frequent injuries scars (cuts & Unexplained frequent injuries scars (cuts & burns).burns).

Clothing – long pants and sleeves even Clothing – long pants and sleeves even during warm seasons.during warm seasons.

Poor school performance.Poor school performance. Friendship/relationship problems.Friendship/relationship problems. Isolation at home.Isolation at home.

Why Is It Negative???Why Is It Negative???

Never addresses the true trauma, stress, or Never addresses the true trauma, stress, or unbearable situation that led to initial cutting.unbearable situation that led to initial cutting.

Problems remain and tend to get worse.Problems remain and tend to get worse. Often the cutting increases as the internal Often the cutting increases as the internal

pain continues.pain continues. Deeper cuts lead to accidental suicide.Deeper cuts lead to accidental suicide. Scars that remain years after cutting has Scars that remain years after cutting has

stopped, causing other “issues”.stopped, causing other “issues”.

Negative Cycle of Self InjuryNegative Cycle of Self Injury

Scarred for LifeScarred for Life

More ScarringMore Scarring

Mental Health Concerns:Mental Health Concerns:

People who self-injure tend to have more People who self-injure tend to have more psychological problems such as :psychological problems such as :– Borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder – Substance abuse disorders Substance abuse disorders – Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)– Antisocial personality Antisocial personality – Eating disorders Eating disorders – DepressionDepression– SuicideSuicide

You Might Feel:You Might Feel:

Upset - because they are hurt. Upset - because they are hurt. Worried - you're not sure how to Worried - you're not sure how to

help. help. Anger - that they could do Anger - that they could do

something to hurt themselves, something to hurt themselves, or at whatever has made them or at whatever has made them feel so bad. feel so bad.

Frustrated or helpless - because Frustrated or helpless - because you don't know what to do. you don't know what to do.

Wanting to take care of them all Wanting to take care of them all the time. the time.

Shocked - at the injury, or you Shocked - at the injury, or you didn't know they felt so bad. didn't know they felt so bad.

Confused - because you don't Confused - because you don't understand why. understand why.

Resentful - that they hurt Resentful - that they hurt themselves even though you themselves even though you are trying to help. are trying to help.

Guilty - for feeling you don't help Guilty - for feeling you don't help them. them.

Scared that your friend might Scared that your friend might damage him or herself seriously damage him or herself seriously or even die. or even die.

Responsible for how your friend Responsible for how your friend is. is.

Scared about involving Scared about involving someone else and scared if you someone else and scared if you don't. don't.

What You Can Say:What You Can Say:

I don’t know how to help you.I don’t know how to help you. Is there a way I can help you when it gets Is there a way I can help you when it gets

bad.bad. I’m sorry you are hurting so much.I’m sorry you are hurting so much. Can you help me learn more about cutting Can you help me learn more about cutting

(self-injury)?(self-injury)?

What Not To Say:What Not To Say:

Why don’t you just stop.Why don’t you just stop. You shouldn’t do this. Your life can’t be that You shouldn’t do this. Your life can’t be that

bad.bad. I could never do that.I could never do that. That’s disgusting.That’s disgusting. You’re doing it for attention.You’re doing it for attention.

What to do:What to do:

Educate yourself about cutting (self-injury).Educate yourself about cutting (self-injury). Show the person you care.Show the person you care. Encourage counseling.Encourage counseling. Understand that change takes time.Understand that change takes time. Get support for yourself (seek out a Get support for yourself (seek out a

counselor to help you!)counselor to help you!) Your friends safety is important!!!!Your friends safety is important!!!!

What Not To Do:What Not To Do:

Don’t call it self-mutilation.Don’t call it self-mutilation. Don’t threaten.Don’t threaten. Don’t avoid them.Don’t avoid them. Don’t make person show their scars.Don’t make person show their scars. Don’t avoid the topic as if not happening.Don’t avoid the topic as if not happening. Don’t blame yourself.Don’t blame yourself. Don’t force them to talk, just be there when Don’t force them to talk, just be there when

they need you.they need you.

Cutters ArtworkCutters Artwork

Self-Injury Awareness DaySelf-Injury Awareness Day

March 1, 2010March 1, 2010 Raise awareness of Raise awareness of

Self-Injury.Self-Injury. Wear ribbons of Wear ribbons of

orange.orange.