Recognizing And Controlling Self-Harming Behavior

Introduction :

Self-harm is the deliberate infliction of bodily injury in an attempt to numb emotional suffering. Self-harming activities include purposeful self-poisoning, such as taking more medication than recommended, and self-injury, such as slashing or burning the skin.Many persons who injure themselves on purpose do not mean to terminate their lives. Self-harm is by its very nature nonfatal. Even if it’s a recurrent incidence, this kind of conduct is strongly linked to suicides in the future and should be treated carefully at all times.

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Self-harming behaviors involve intentionally inflicting physical pain on oneself as a means of expressing spiritual or psychological discomfort. Although they can persist into adulthood, these behaviors are more prevalent in teenagers, and older persons are also susceptible to self-harm.Self-harming episodes can be recurrent, but they should all be treated carefully since they have the potential to result in suicide.

According to the research by our team Srijan Foundation Trust, 28 students commit suicide per day because they are unable to find a safe location to let go of their feelings. The key factors that contribute to the depletion of mental health are societal constraints, academic pressure, and the widening generation gap. Although improving one’s mental health is something that everyone aspires to, it’s not simple. So, by giving utilities, education, and support to those in need we Srijan Foundation are doing a great job of fostering social well-being and mental health.

Identifying Self-Destructive Behavior

Sometimes it might be difficult to tell if someone is hurting oneself. A individual’s way of life may indicate if they are currently engaged in self-harming activities or are at danger of doing so, as self-harm is linked to risk-taking behaviors. Abuse of alcohol, for instance, increases the likelihood of self-harm in the future.

A person’s bodily tattoos or scars, as well as threat of suicide or self-harm, are further indicators to be on the lookout for. Given the link between risks and self-harm, it’s crucial to be aware of even when inadvertent risk-taking activities like speeding and sexual activity without protection are not thought of as self-harming behaviors.

Qualities and Attributes

Adolescents are predominantly observed engaging in self-harming activities. Individuals who self-harm are often female and between the years of 15 and 24.While young individuals are more likely to engage in self-harming activities, adults can also have these tendencies, particularly if they’ve got a past of self-harm. Self-harm is more common among older individuals, and those who self-harm are more likely than other adults to commit suicide in the future.

It’s critical to recognize habits that lead to self-harm. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are closely associated with self-harm, even in the absence of prior suicide attempts.

Self-harming people frequently carry out the same actions again. Frequent episodes of self-harm are typically indicative of ongoing emotional suffering and may indicate an increased risk of suicide in the future.

Causes :

Individuals who self-harm frequently have at least one more kind of mental illness. Personality disorders, including symptoms of borderline personality disorder, depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and problems with drug and alcohol use are common co-occurring mental diseases.

Self-harming behaviors can also be attributed to developmental phases and life obstacles that cause severe stress, in addition to mental health conditions. For instance, compared to adolescents in other life stages, adolescents going through adolescence (sexual maturity) are significantly more prone to participate in self-harming behaviors. This is perhaps because young people go through a phase in their lives when they naturally take more risks and lose emotional control.

Treatment

It is important to always treat self-harm seriously. Individuals who self-harm have a 50% to 100% increased risk of suicide within a year compared to those who do not self-harm.Six

There is no consensus on which is the most effective form of intervention because there hasn’t been much study on treatment strategies for those who engage in self-harming activities.Nevertheless, a few therapeutic modalities have been demonstrated to be effective, such as:

  • The treatment of cognitive behavior (CBT)
  • Counseling for problem-solving (PST)
  • Behavior treatment using dialectics (DBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

In order to replace negative ideas and behaviors with more positive ones, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) entails recognizing bad thoughts and how they connect to behaviors. Research indicates that CBT is most successful when used to particular subsets of self-harmers, such as those who experience recurrent episodes.7.

Therapy for Solving Problems

In problem-solving therapy (PST), an individual is assisted in recognizing and resolving an issue in a methodical, step-by-step manner. In one research, for instance, the use of PST to assist individuals who self-harm was examined. Participants were required to carry out a series of tasks, such as problem orientation, problem listing and definition, brainstorming, creating an action plan, and reviewing the plan. It was discovered that this worked well for people who had self-harmed frequently.

Behavior Dialectic Therapy

One kind of cognitive behavioral treatment is dialectic behavior therapy, or DBT. It primarily focuses on assisting individuals in living in the present through methods including mindfulness, practicing methods of relaxation to tolerate discomfort, repairing relationships, and controlling emotions.

Conclusion :

Handling any form of emotional upheaval is difficult. You could believe that injuring yourself is the only method you have to end the suffering. Cutting, drugging, or hurting yourself in another way won’t make you feel better for very long.With long-term support, you can address the underlying beliefs and experiences that give rise to these agonizing feelings. Individuals are struggling to find the appropriate outlet for their feelings.

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Since our organization wants to hear people laugh and weep.Emotions must be shown off and communicated in the right ways. The mission of the Srijan Foundation Trust is “Curating lives and healing hearts.In order to vent out their feeling any individual can get in touch with our team in person at Barmar, Rajasthan or by online through our website https://srijanfoundationtrust.org/ and also the best method to find the best treatment plan and learn about particular indications is to speak with a mental health expert.

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