Self-harm is a commonly misunderstood psychological phenomenon. Some people believe that those who harm themselves are simply stupid because why else a person would do that. Others think that self-harm is only attention-seeking behavior. Some even call it selfish.
What is self-harm?
Before digging deeper, let’s first define what constitutes self-harm. Self-harmful behavior is a behavioral pattern that results in harm to yourself. A very simple example of that is cutting.
Another, more common form of self-harm is poor self-care. Here, while person is not harming themselves directly or even immediately, the lack of self-loving and self-caring behavior can be incredibly harmful, especially in the long run.
The ultimate form of self-harm is suicide. Here, the person’s pain is too great and they see no hope that it can ever get better.
Common examples of self-harm and poor self-care
- Eating problems. E.g., anorexia, bulimia, overeating, undereating, binge eating.
- Self-mutilation. E.g., cutting, hair pulling, self-scratching.
- Avoiding medical care.
- Addiction.
- Not resting well. E.g., poor sleep regimen, working too much, over-exercising.
- Putting yourself in danger. E.g., driving without your seatbelt on, unprotected sex.
- Unrealistic, self-attacking beliefs. E.g, “I can’t do anything right,” “I’m a rotten human being.”
[To read the rest of this article by Darius Cikanavicius, click here.]
[Photo from here.]
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