What Are Some Common Characteristics of People Who Self-Harm?

Self-harm, also referred to as self-mutilation, can be defined in a few different ways, but it refers to people who deliberately injure themselves such as through cutting, burning, or bruising the skin, as well as pulling out the hair or other methods of causing pain. Though once perceived as mostly a problem among young women, people who self-harm can be male or female; typically, these issues begin in early to late adolescence. In general, people who self-harm do share some common characteristics. Depression and anxiety are common, as well as a difficulty expressing emotions; often, low self-esteem is present as well.

Another common belief among psychologists was that people who self-harm may have been abused in childhood. While this is certainly true in some cases, it is not as widespread as previously thought in this particular instance. In addition, people who self-harm are not, in every case, more likely to attempt suicide than others. However, this is not always true, and it is important for these individuals to seek treatment from a qualified mental health professional, and for the individual's friends and family members to recognize that this is a serious problem.

Depression and anxiety are some of the most common characteristics of people who self-harm. High levels of stress in life, combined with a feeling of inability to express oneself, can lead an individual to self-injury as a form of relieving these feelings. Individuals who self-harm often say that they feel a sense of relief or temporary calm immediately after harming themselves, which is often why it becomes a habit that is very difficult to break. Sometimes this behavior begins as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, low self-esteem is often a big part of self-injury.

Children or teens who do this are often very intelligent and feel a lot of pressure to succeed and do well. If they feel they fail at any point, or are not living up to expectations, they may feel a great deal of anger towards themselves, and believe they deserve punishment. Of course, others are practicing self-injury because they want to be noticed and aren't sure how else to go about it, so they are doing it as a way to seek attention. Though they may certainly share some common characteristics, each individual who practices self-harm may be doing it for a slightly different reason, and it is important to recognize this.