Why Do People Self-Harm?

Self-harm is defined as the condition when someone consciously hurts themselves; however, it is dissimilar from a suicidal attempt.

Self-harm can be of various forms and is generally considered a kind of emotional release. Individuals suffering from emotional dysregulation might not know how to cope with their emotions; hence, they turn to self-harm behaviour. Self-harm might also be the indication of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or more that requires self-harm treatment and care.

It could be difficult to understand if you are not engaged in why people self-harm themselves, but it is a more common issue that several individuals have realized. Some evidence suggests that around 17-35% of college-going students, 15% of teenagers, and 4% adults are engaged in self-harming behaviour.

Self-harm behaviour usually happens during the teenage period, and a frequent traumatic experience or neglect could lead to self-harm and addiction or injury in an individual. However, self-harm is not regarded as a mental illness but a kind of behaviour that specifies a deficiency of coping skills. In addition, certain disorders are closely inter-connected to behaviour, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. When a person is not aware of how to cope with their emotions, they could turn to self-harm to release their emotions and pain. If an individual has difficulty feeling emotions, they might self-inflict pain to feel anything.

Types of Self-Harm Behaviour

The common self-harm behaviours are as follows:

• Starving oneself

• Putting oneself in danger or threat

• Cutting skin

• Hitting oneself

• Scratching skin with sharp objects

• Consuming poisonous or harmful substances

• throwing yourself on hard-hitting objects 

• Burning oneself

• Pulling out hair follicles

• In extreme situations breaking bones 

Indications Of Self-Harm

Everyone is unique, and the self-harm indications will differ depending upon the individual. If you understand that your near ones are showing signs of self-harm, then it is important to know how to get them help.

• Some of the common signs and symptoms of self-harm are:

• Wearing long-sleeved clothes during warm weather to hide scars and bruises

• Have unexplained cuts and injuries

• Avoiding individuals or social gatherings to hide injuries

• Organized scar patterns and recurrent scars at similar locations

• Deficiency in understanding personal safety issues

• Infected scars or wounds

• Difficulty in communicating feelings

Self-harm could be one of the major symptoms of fatal mental disease, and keeping your friend's dangerous secret could lead to serious consequences such as self-harm and substance abuse. 

Getting yourself or your loved ones into treatment at SimranShri rehabilitation centre can help the individuals break the dangerous cycles and begin the healing process. If left unmanaged, it could progress into fatal health problems. For some individuals with depression, self-harm may develop into addiction and suicide.

If someone recognizes the signs of self-harm in someone you care about, they should take immediate action. Programs such as mental health counselling and other psychotherapies can teach your loved ones how to deal with their emotions in a way that does not involve hurting themselves. 

Mental disorders could be debilitating, but there is always hope for a better future. If you or any of your loved ones are facing self-harm problems, don't hesitate to call us at +919958024680 or email us at help@simranshri.com to seek assistance and find out how we can help you in resolving why do people self-harm.