Treatment for Self-Harm: Discovery Mood & Anxiety
People express suffering in many different ways. Self-harm, the act of deliberately causing physical harm to oneself, is one of the most difficult to endure and witness. While not a mental health disorder, self-harming behaviors are serious issues that need professional treatment.
Also known as non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID), self-harm can be incredibly hard for others to understand. Self-harm is often used as a way of seeking relief from difficult emotions and expressing thoughts and emotions that can’t be said with words. While not intended to be lethal, self-harm can lead to serious mental and physical consequences.
However, self-harm is treatable. At Discovery Mood and Anxiety, our measurement-based approach allows us to carefully tailor our treatment programs (including a dedicated adolescent treatment program) to meet our patients’ needs as they grow with us, helping them find healthy and effective ways to cope as well as treating the issues that drive their self-harm.
What Is Self-Harm?
Self-harm is the act of purposely hurting oneself as a coping mechanism. Most people engage in self-harm to cope with stress, overwhelming and difficult feelings, or emotional pain. Self-harming acts include:
- Cutting or scratching the skin
- Burning the skin
- Punching or hitting oneself or objects
- Using sharp objects like needles to pierce the skin
- Wound picking
- Pulling out hair
In general, self-harm isn’t a suicidal act, although studies appear to show a direct relationship between self-harming acts and suicide.
Causes of Self-Harm: Why Do People Self-Harm?
Many reasons drive people to engage in self-harm:
- An attempt to reach out
- A coping mechanism
- A symptom of another disorder, such as: anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, depression personality disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Self-regulation
- To feel control
- To feel in general
How Common Is Self-Harm?
Exact figures on how many people engage in self-harm are hard to come by. Like many issues around mental health, it may be underreported.
However, various studies show that demographics play a large role in self-harming behavior. An article published by the American Psychological Association (APA) cites studies that found:
- Self-harming behaviors are the lowest in adults and young children, with about a five percent lifetime rate for adults. The rate for children aged five to ten is even lower at around 1.3 percent.
- Adolescent self-harm, on the other hand, seems to be much higher, with 17 percent reporting self-harming behaviors at least once.
- Around 15 percent of college students reported that they had engaged in self-harm.
- Women are often thought of as being more likely to engage in self-harm. However, men may account for at least 35 percent of all self-harm cases. Plus, the APA warns that men are more likely to underreport self-harm.
- Finally, sexual minorities tend to be at higher risk for self-harm.
Are There Self-Harm Risk Factors?
Self-harm does have certain risk factors. While these don’t apply to everyone who engages in self-harm, these factors are often contributing factors:
- Age: Self-harming behaviors often start in the early teen years. However, they can also start younger…and later. Self-harm is common among young college-aged adults.
- Isolation: Social isolation often causes people to engage in self-harm, especially younger people who feel rejected, suffer from bullying, and more.
- Sexual Orientation: Sexual minorities – people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and more – often have higher rates of self-harm due to discrimination and other issues.
- Undergoing Trauma: People who’ve lived through trauma and abuse (especially childhood abuse) often engage in self-harm behaviors.
What Are the Symptoms of Self-Harm?
The symptoms of self-harm can be difficult to detect; people who engage in self-harm often go to great lengths to hide their injuries, like always wearing long sleeves or long pants despite the weather or situation. Sometimes, people even come up with stories as a way to explain their injuries.
However, there are some things to look for:
- Scars or scabs in a particular area, of a similar shape, or in a cluster.
- Having frequent “accidents” that result in similar injuries, bruising or swelling.
- Engaging in certain behaviors, like repeatedly scratching one area of their body.
- Having multiple burns in the same area, or of the same shape and size.
If you’re concerned about a loved one, something to look for is certain areas of the body. Many who engage in self-harm tend to concentrate their behaviors on these areas, which include:
- The forearms
- The wrists
- The abdomen
- The front of their thighs
How Is Self-Harm Diagnosed?
How Is Self-Harm Treated?
Self-harm is treated with a mix of talk therapy, supportive care, physical treatment, and, in some cases, medication.
In general, treatment for self-harm starts with treating any injuries. After that, treatment focuses on treating any underlying mental health concerns while introducing healthier coping skills.
Talk Therapy
Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is often the main tool used to treat self-harm. During talk therapy, a trained professional and their patient work together to help the patient reach their goals in a safe, confidential and organized manner.
At Discovery Mood & Anxiety, we make extensive use of talk therapy in several forms:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of talk therapy that was designed to help people who struggle with intense, often unpleasant emotions. It teaches emotional regulation and distress tolerance.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify and change negative behaviors and thought patterns. This helps people create new, effective coping mechanisms that don’t involve self-injury.
Levels of Care
Treatment for self-harm isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Different levels of care ensure that everyone’s needs are met, no matter where they are on their treatment journey:
- Residential Treatment: Residential treatment involves 24/7 care provided by a licensed treatment center in a community-based setting. It offers a safe, closely monitored environment where a person’s needs can be met carefully.
- Partial Hospitalization Treatment: Partial hospitalization treatment (PHP) is the ideal step up from residential care. During a PHP program, people receive the same close monitoring as they did during residential treatment, only they live at home or another safe space at night. It lets people practice the things they learned in residential care while still benefiting from close structure.
- Intensive Outpatient Treatment: Intensive outpatient treatment, or IOP, is best suited for those more advanced in treatment. IOP programs take place during part of the day, either in-person or online, allowing patients to integrate their lifesaving care into their lives. Many people in Discovery’s IOP programs continue to work and attend school.
Specialized Programs
People have different needs. An adult treatment program is designed to meet the needs of adults, teaching skills more appropriate for grown people while acknowledging their responsibilities.
Because they’re often at a higher risk of self-harm, an adolescent treatment program that focuses on their needs and struggles is vital to successfully treating self-injuring behavior. It focuses on developing life skills, integrated family support, education reintegration and more.
Measurement-Based Care
At Discovery Mood & Anxiety, we use a unique measurement-based care approach. We learn as much as we can about our patients, including:
- Their physical and mental health
- The social influences in their lives
- Any underlying conditions, such as substance abuse or mood disorder
This approach allows us to expertly build effective, deeply personalized treatment programs that grow with our patients as they progress in their treatment.
How Can I Help a Loved One Who Self-Harms?
It’s incredibly tough to experience self-harm. Watching a loved one hurt themselves can make you feel helpless, guilty, and depressed.
So, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Show Concern, Not Control: Don’t tell your loved one they need to stop. Tell them that they’re not alone and that you’re there for them.
- Try Not to Judge but Listen: Always let your loved one speak freely and try not to react to their self-harm with anger or shock. Also, don’t issue ultimatums: they often backfire, leaving your loved one feeling guilty and alone.
- Learn More: Reading about self-harm isn’t much easier than seeing it in person…but it can help you recognize the signs, know what to expect, and how to help your loved one. Plus, it can also have a calming effect, helping you to think clearly.
- Patience is Everything: Healing from self-harm takes time. Celebrate the small wins and be there for your loved one, especially when it feels like there’s no progress.
- Build a Support Group: Joining a support group can help you cope with what you’re experiencing. Also, friends and family are often glad to step in and help.
What if Self-Harm Isn’t Treated?
Left untreated, self-harm gets worse. The emotions that drive self-harm – guilt, shame, low self-esteem – grow stronger. The underlying issues that also drive self-harm, like trauma and depression, also get worse.
Self-harm can also result in permanent scarring and injury. There’s also a serious risk of infection and disease, especially if the tools of self-harm are shared. It’s entirely possible for a person to seriously and permanently injure themselves from self-harming behavior.
While self-harm itself is rarely part of a suicide attempt, the emotional issues triggering self-harm can make the risk of a suicide attempt much more likely.
It’s important to know that earlier intervention often results in a more positive outcome. Self-harm and the issues that drive it are treatable. With the right help, you or a loved one can free yourself from the cycle of self-harm and live the lives you genuinely deserve.
Discovery Mood & Anxiety: Real Healing from Self-Harm
At Discovery Mood & Anxiety, we’ll help you heal from self-harm by providing compassionate, measurement-based care tailored to your unique emotional needs.
Our team of experienced clinicians works closely with you to uncover the root causes of self-injury, develop healthier coping strategies, and build a path toward lasting recovery. Through personalized therapy, supportive community, and a safe, nurturing environment, we empower you to rediscover your strength and move forward with confidence.
Discovery 365™ is our innovative, one-of-a-kind platform designed to support your recovery journey for a full year after completing treatment. Powered by proprietary technology, it offers personalized guidance, connects you to helpful resources when challenges arise, and ensures you stay engaged and empowered as you continue to build a strong, lasting foundation for healing.
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Clinically Reviewed by
Matthew Ruble, MD
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