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What is Self-Injury/Mutilation?

• Self-injury refers to the intentional self-infliction of wounds by cutting, burning, or otherwise wounding of the skin, without the intent to die.

• Several terms have been developed to describe when individuals intentionally harm themselves including: self-mutilation, self-injurious behavior, deliberate self-harm, parasuicidal behavior, and self-wounding.

• Oftentimes known as “cutters,” students who self-mutilate will frequently engage in the behavior repeatedly and in a secretive manner.

• Self-injury can include behaviors such as cutting, burning, hitting, picking, hair pulling, and head banging. The most common form of self-injurious behavior is cutting.

• Those who self-injure are typically NOT suicidal. Self-mutilation is usually a coping strategy to make the student feel better or release emotions. However, suicide is always a concern with these individuals and accidents can occur with self-mutilation behaviors.

• It is estimated that 60% or more of those who self-injure are girls.

Why Individuals Cut or Self-Injure

• Cutting is often associated with individuals who have difficulty regulating their emotions and coping with problems.

• Individuals who cut may be seeking a method of gaining control over a situation.

• Students may be experiencing low self-esteem, symptoms of depression, or other psychological disorders.

• Self-injury may be a way to avoid overwhelming emotions by focusing on physical pain.

• A secondary gain of self-injurious behavior may be peer acceptance.

• Self-injury appears to have a contagious effect among peer groups. Once this behavior is observed in a peer group, it can become “acceptable” and is often encouraged by peers in the group.

Signs to Look For

• Frequent or unexplained scars, cuts, bruises, and burns

• General signs of depression

• Social and emotional isolation and disconnectedness

• Use of clothing designed to cover injuries (i.e., long sleeves in warm weather)

• Discussions or posts about self-injury on social media

Parental Do’s/Don’ts

Do:

• Be aware of what your child is posting or reading on social media, including their phone (i.e. text messages and posts)

• Limit peer influence while your child is being treated

• Encourage substitute behaviors that focus on stress reduction and coping strategies (i.e. journaling, exercise, listening to music)

• Understand that this is your child’s way of coping

• Encourage participation in extracurricular activities and clubs

• LISTEN to your child

• Let your child know how much you love him/her

Parental Do’s/Don’ts

Don’t

• Agree that your child can keep their communications on social media/texts “confidential”

• Allow your child to socialize with friends unsupervised (including social media and texting) until treatment is well established

• Reward your child in response to self-injury behavior in an attempt to make it go away (i.e. out to lunch or going shopping)

• Overreact, say or do anything to cause shame or guilt

• Make deals in an effort to stop self-injury

• Agree to keep self-injury behavior confidential

• Use punishment or negative consequences when your child self-injures

The School’s Role

• While self-injury is often noticed in school, school is not the place for it to be treated.

• Students should seek out their guidance counselor, school psychologist, student assistance counselor, teacher, or other trusted staff members if they or someone they know are struggling with self-injury.

• School personnel can direct the student and their parents to the appropriate resources for treatment outside of school.

• Collaboration between parents and school personnel to reinforce treatment options and encourage alternative coping strategies for self-injury