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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThere's no one single or simple cause that leads someone to self-injure. The mix of emotions that triggers self-injury is complex. In general, self-injury is usually the result of an inability to cope in healthy ways with deep psychological pain. For instance, you may have a hard time regulating, expressing or understanding your emotions. Physical injury distracts you from these painful emotions or helps you feel a sense of control over an otherwise uncontrollable situation.
When you feel emotionally empty, self-injury is a way to feel something, anything, even if it's physical pain. It also offers an external way to express internal feelings. You may also turn to self-injury as a way to punish yourself for perceived faults. Sometimes self-injury may be an attempt to seek attention or to manipulate others.
- Wedig MM, et al. Parental expressed emotion and adolescent self-injury. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2007;46:1171.
- Hewlett WA. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. In: Ebert MH, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Psychiatry. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3286970. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Lloyd-Richardson EE, et al. Characteristics and functions of non-suicidal self-injury in a community sample of adolescents. Psychological Medicine. 2007;37:1183.
- Martiniuk ALC, et al. Self-harm and risk of motor vehicle crashes among young drivers: findings from the DRIVE Study. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2009;181:807.
- Klonsky ED. The functions of deliberate self-injury: A review of the evidence. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session. 2007;27:226.
- Nock MK, et al. Non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents: Diagnostic correlates and relation to suicide attempts. Psychiatry Research. 2006;144:65.
- Factsheet: Self-injury - Warning signs. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=C7DF983B-1372-4D20-C800C76DEFCBAE2F. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Hasking PA. Brief report: Emotion regulation and coping as moderators in the relationship between personality and self-injury. Journal of Adolescence. In press. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Suicidal behavior in children and adolescents. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch300/ch300h.html. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Klonsky ED, et al. Self-Injury: A Research Review for the Practitioner. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session. 2007;63:1045.
- Claes L, et al. Brief report: The association between non-suicidal self-injury, self-concept and acquaintance with self-injurious peers in a sample of adolescents. Journal of Adolescence. In press. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Factsheet: Self-injury. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/self-injury. Accessed May 3, 2010.
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