Self harm means coping mechanisms in which emotional stress and pain convert into physical harm such as skin biting, skin cutting and slapping. This turns into addition when the individual always harm itself in stress and disturbances.
Self harm addiction itself not any disease or disorder but often taken as the symptom of other disorders. includes bipolar, depression, borderline personality disorder, Schizophrenia and substance abuse disorders. Self harm is not an suicidal attempt but it’s the suicidal thought the individual feel relaxed after harm itself.
Delegate harm is complex and deeply rooted behavior. The individual struggling with so much mental disturbances and pain situations unable to resolve it. So he can get comfort and relaxation by harming own self.
Carolyn Weimer, a licensed professional counselor from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, adds that these patterns of compulsive or repetitive self-harm that resemble addiction are sometimes referred to as non-suicidal self-injury disorder.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean self-harm is always, or even commonly, an addiction. Weimer says addiction and self-harm usually have different underlying motivations and treatment approaches.
Signs of self injury
Self harm behavior are not limited to situations.
- Unexplained injuries on body.
- Hidden secrets sharp objects and materials.
- Trauma and substance abuse .
- Not valuing social activities and relationships.
- Mood changing behaviour .
- Low self esteem and worth .
- Difficulty in sharing their feelings .
The individual affected also faced difficulties in sleeping and nightmare.They also struggling with feelings of helpless and loneliness.
Why people self harm their self ?
Self harm is the behavior in which the person pain and unsatisfactory emotional behavior turn to physical harm by punishing itself with physical pain. Self harm is the habit or addicted behavior in which person injury itself for his mental wellbeing.
pain gives temporary feelings of mental comfort and relaxation.
Express of feeling that can’t expose by words.
Punish yourself for the feeling of mistake, shame or guilt.
It is response to intrusive thoughts.
Struggling with low self esteem .
Challenging with substance abuse .
Fighting with bullied behavior .
Pressure of work (school, office).
Battling with financial problems.
These are the possible cause of self harm. These small things lead to self injury. The person overcome these challenges with self harming itself.
For reasons that may be hard to understand, self-harm is a regulating tool for some, a calming tool for some, and a punishing tool for others,” says Amorosi.
“When you do it for a long time or struggle with behavioral control, it can become ingrained as a habit, it may be required to regulate, and someone may not be able to stop themselves from doing it.
Impact of self injury on Individual
Physical problem
Self harming can lead to physical injuries infection and scarring in sewer it can be more harmful and causes permanent lose of any body damage it also challenging in medication and hospitalization.
Mental health
The individual affected with self harm can lead to several mental disorders or challenges. If the individual is affected with self injury for long time period can cause other mental or psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety , post traumatic disorder, bipolar, trauma, borderline personality disorders, substance abuse and schizophrenia. It can also the risk of suicidal attempt.
Social relationships
It can strain relationship with family, friends and social circle. It also lead to barrier to open communication among friends and family. Love one also struggling to understand or support the individual cause feeling of loneliness and isolation.
Craving for Substance abuse
Self harming itself can also lead to abuse addiction such as smoking or drinking. Seeking for mental wellbeing the individual may involves in these habits. Use it for the coping of emotional stress and anxiety.
Prevention for self violence?
Monica Amorosi, a licensed mental health counselor from New York City, indicates that it’s up to the clinical judgment of the therapist to determine whether a behavior fits into the category of a behavioral addiction and whether the lived experience of their client matches a situation of addiction.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavior therapy is helpful to treat self harming. The individual learn that how to cope with emotion and pain ful event in life. It can support to change the way of coping related to mental distance.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
DBT is the type of therapy it is helpful to learn new skills to manage their emotion regulation, distress tolerance, help to build interpersonal skills and learn mindfulness activities which can support to fight with emotional challenges.
Emotion regulation group therapy (ERGT)
It focuses to learn individual to manage their emotions more efficiently within a group. Includes learning of emotional regulation and control, skill to identify the emotional intensive behavior, improving interpersonal relationships and managing behavior. It can also helpful for mood changing and overcome anxiety.
Weekly sessions with their psychiatrist or trainer helpful to get relief from self harming . Training support to solve the cognitive distance.
How to support when someone is affected with self harming?
Listen with out judgement
Listening other with no judgmental behavior can give emotional support empathic ear help to encourage the individual to manage emotions. Friendly behavior or advice support individual to manage their emotions regulation.
Encourage professional help
Encourage individual to get professional help visit the rehabilitation centers and concerns them. Advise , support or guide them. May helpful or get relief from several mental disorders.
Show compassion
Showing compassion and care giver space to individual for heal and confidence to feel free or relaxed to share their problem and emotions.
Some other habits try to develop in individual may helpful .
- The individual have to try calming breathing exercises when they feel anxiety or panic.
- They have to talks their friends and family share their feelings.
- Listen music and do exercise.
Amorosi says. “Threatening them with the hospital or intense therapy will likely make them not trust you and is also likely not even appropriate care. What they need is someone to understand them.”
Conclusion
Self harming is the discomfort emerges due to feelings of insult, guilt and some emotional disturbances for the comfort and satisfaction the person attempt physical harming strategies called self harming or self injury.
Self harming is become addiction when the individual use physical harm strategies again and again for their comfort. It leads to several mental issues. Physical harms may lead to suicidal attempts . They lose self control and unable to understand. In this situation the individual have to get help from professional guidance and treatment.
