Self-Injury

Self-injury can be a way of expressing and coping with deep distress and emotional pain. It can seem frightening and leave people unsure how to respond. It is important to clearly distinguish self-injury from suicidal behavior; self-injury can be understood as a method of temporarily relieving intolerable emotional or psychological pain, and not as an attempt to end life. The most common form of self-injury is cutting (i.e. making cuts or scratches with a sharp object), but it can also take many other forms, including: burning, hitting, punching, head banging, piercing, pinching, biting, pulling hair, and interfering with wound healing.

Signs of self-injury can be difficult to detect, as students may hide self-injurious behaviors from others and cover physical evidence. The following symptoms may signify self-injury, but they may also be indicative of something else, such as relationship violence, or the result of an accident, so it is important to be open-minded when approaching a student.

Recognize

  • Scars, such as from burns or cuts
  • Fresh cuts, scratches or other wounds, often in a pattern such as thin parallel lines, words, etc.
  • Bruises
  • Injuries to arms, legs, or torso, or less frequently other locations
  • Wearing long sleeves or long pants even in hot weather
  • Keeping sharp objects on hand
  • Claiming to have frequent accidents or mishaps

Respond

  • Make a observation about a specific behavior or concern and ask them about it
  • If a student discloses they have self-injured, listen to them and attempt to understand their perspective
  • Be supportive and maintain a nonjudgmental attitude
  • Don’t tell the person to stop the self-harming behavior; this may make them feel worse about themselves and less likely to talk to you
  • Ask if they have other coping skills that work for them
  • Encourage them to seek counseling

Resources

  • CAPS (x8059)

  • CAPS On Call (24/365) (610-328-7768)

  • Student Health and Wellness (x8058)