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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYour first appointment to start treating your self-injury may be with a school nurse or counselor, your family doctor, or a general practitioner. But because self-injury often requires specialized mental health care, you may be referred to a mental health provider for evaluation and treatment.
What you can do
Being an active participant in your care can help your recovery efforts. One way to do this is by preparing for your first appointment. Think about what your needs and goals for treatment are. Also, write down a list of questions to ask. These may include:
- Why can't I get better on my own?
- How do you treat self-injury?
- Are there medications that might help?
- How often will we meet?
- What should I do if I have an urge to self-injure between therapy sessions?
- How long will treatment take?
- What can I do to help myself?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions about your self-injury and emotional state. Your doctor may ask such questions as:
- When did you first begin harming yourself?
- How frequently do you injure yourself?
- What methods do you use to harm yourself?
- What feelings and thoughts do you have before, during and after self-injury?
- What triggers you to harm yourself?
- What makes you feel better or worse?
- 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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