Deliberate self-injury can be defined as the deliberate damage or destruction of bodily tissues without suicidal intent. Self-injury is most commonly co-occurring with other problems such as major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and substance use.
Possible Signs of Deliberate Self-Injury
Physical Symptoms:
- Visible cuts to skin on arms, thighs, ankles or other body parts
- Burning of skin
- Picking skin
- Self-hitting or head banging
- Punching walls or objects
- Poisoning/overdosing
Psychological Symptoms:
- Feelings of anger, anxiousness, sadness, tension or even boredom can be emotions associated with self-injury
- Difficulty regulating emotions can be associated with self-injury
- They often say that they’re “accident-prone” or have many accidents