Self-harm, or self-mutilation, is the act of deliberately inflicting pain and damage to one's own body. Self-harm most often refers to cutting, burning, scratching, and other forms of external injury; it can, however, also include internal or emotional harm, such as consuming toxic amounts of alcohol or drugs or deliberately participating in unsafe sex .
Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harm
It can be difficult to detect when someone is hurting themselves, because self-harm is often done in private and kept hidden out of shame and fear . Fresh cuts and scratches, bite marks, and burns can all be warnings of self-injury when they occur frequently. Other physical signs may include scars, bruises, and bald patches, particularly those that indicate a repeated pattern of harm.
Other, less obvious signs could include an individual who seems especially prone to accidents or who wears long sleeves or long pants even in hot weather; these behaviors may be attempts to disguise self-injury. People who self-harm may also show signs of depression or emotional unpredictability, such as making comments about their sense of hopelessness or worthlessness.
Self-injurious behavior can be hard to detect , as it's often done in secret or in areas that are easy to hide. Signs may include unexplained wounds or clusters of cuts; heavy use of wristbands, long-sleeve shirts (even during hot weather), or bandages; or heightened depression or anxiety.
Generally, yes. But recent neurobiological evidence suggests that those who self-harm have a higher pain threshold. In addition, rather than responding negatively to pain, those who self-harm are typically calmed by it .
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