Self-injury has become all too prevalent in modern society. It has become so common that it has its own acronym – SI. SI is often associated with a history of sexual abuse as well as bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Why does it happen? What can those who suffer from these urges do to resist them?
Here is personal experience and wisdom about self-injury - cutting, scratching, burning yourself - from members of our About Bipolar Disorder Community.
Self-injury is all too common in bipolar disorder. Here are readers' suggestions for coping with the desire to injure yourself by cutting, scratching and burning, etc.
Kimberly Read looks at self-injury, a serious problem in today's world. Young females especially are cutting, burning or otherwise harming themselves in staggering numbers. Who are they? Why are they hurting themselves?
If you want to help someone who self-injures but do not understand the behavior, here are excellent tips and guidelines for talking to self-injurers about their SI behavior in ways that will keep communication open and positive.
About Mental Health Resources Guide Leonard Holmes writes about self-harm among adolescents and college-agers, with valuable advice for parents.
About Depression examines why people self-injure and discusses what needs to be done to help people who injure themselves - learning other ways to deal with the feelings that cause SI.
You can use this form online, even e-mail it to yourself or someone who is helping you deal with the urge to do self-harm. The author,
Kharre, says the exercise helps her to identify the emotions and stressors that drive her toward self-injury.
Kharre is a wife, mother, self-injurer and writer. Her fine website tells her own story, discusses healing and has an "Emergency Room" for people coping with injuring themselves
right now.
Cutting is very often associated with a history of sexual abuse, and this compassionate article is written from that point of view. The author talks about various reasons why people may become self-injurers, and tells how he was able to stop being a cutter.
Borderline personality disorder is by far the most common diagnosis where self-injury is seen, but many other conditions, including dissociative disorders, OCD, eating disorders, PTSD, mood disorders and more, are also found in people who do self-harm.
