Self-Harm Is More Common Than You Think

Self inflicted violence is when someone intentionally harms their own body without the intention of committing suicide. Some examples of this behavior are; cutting flesh, bruising your body, not allowing wounds to heal, excessive nail biting, hair pulling and intentionally breaking their own bones. This type of behavior is more common then you think! About one percent of the population engages in these types of behaviors. This behavior is very dangerous and is a serious problem.

The most common reason that people self-harm is because it is used as a coping mechanism. Self-harm is a way for people to help alleviate stress. By feeling physical pain it makes what they are feeling emotionally more tangible. By seeing their own blood it makes them feel alive. Often when people are depressed or upset they may feel numb and so self-harm is a way of temporarily making themselves feel alive.

Self-harm is like an addiction and just stopping is not helpful advice at all because it is that person's coping mechanism. The rule of them thumb is you never take away one coping mechanism without you replacing it with another coping mechanism. This is true with every addiction; everything from drinking to smoking.

People who self-harm with often cut or hurt themselves in areas that are easy to hide. Some of these places that people tend to self-harm are legs, inner leg, arms and or torso. These are places that can be easily covered up with clothing so no one knows what it going on.

Some of the risks with self-harm is infections; cuts can easily get infected then cause a host of other medical problems. Infections can be caused by what that person is cutting with, such as a razor, or not allowing a cut to probably heal. Sometimes people who self-harm will cut too deep and will experience major blood loss. This usually is not their intention to cause these problems; they are just consequences of their behavior.