Self-Harm
Also called self-mutilation, self-injury, self-abuse and cutting, self-harm is when someone purposefully injures their own body. People who engage in self-harm may cut, scratch, bruise or burn themselves. In extreme cases, they may swallow or insert sharp objects into their bodies or break their own bones.Self-harm is not the same as suicidal behavior. These people are not trying to end their lives, but may find that hurting their bodies helps relieve tension, counter a sense of numbness, distract them from problems or otherwise cope with emotional discomfort. Such actions only provide temporary relief however, and may result in a self-destructive cycle.
Self-harm is most common in adolescents and young adults and recent studies have reported that as many as 11 percent of teenage females and three percent of teenage males have engaged in self-harming behavior. It has also been associated with eating disorders, depression, sexual trauma, physical or sexual abuse, anxiety disorders, and is listed by the DSM-IV as a symptom of bipolar disorder.