Common Self-Harm Behavior

Someone who struggles with a mental health disorder may turn to self-harm behaviors as a way to cope with their illness. Self-harm occurs when an individual impulsively and repeatedly hurts himself/herself as a way to feel relief for a moment when their mental health symptoms seem like too much to handle. Self-harm behaviors can include skin cutting and head banging. This self-destructive behavior can turn into a vicious cycle for individuals. Most people who suffer from a mental illness, such as an eating disorder, often partake in self-injury to feel a sense of control for the moment. This type of behavior can be treated with individualized care. Those who self-harm can overcome their illness and break free from harmful behaviors. Banyan Mental Health provides mental health treatment in Boca Raton for all illnesses and our programs can help patients manage their symptoms and live a healthier lifestyle.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Self-harm behaviors typically occur during the teenage years and a certain traumatic experience or even neglect can cause a person to self-inflict an injury. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, self-harm is not a mental illness, but behavior that specifies a lack of coping skills. However, there are certain diseases that are closely related to this type of behavior such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. When someone doesn’t know how to handle their emotions, they could turn to self-harm as a way to release their pain and cope. If an individual is having trouble feeling any emotions, they might self-inflict pain just in order to feel something. Common self-harm behaviors include:

• Skin cutting
• Burning
• Pulling out hair
• Starving oneself
• Putting oneself in dangerous situations
• Extreme cases can result in broken bones
• Any behavior that is deliberately taken to hurt oneself

Our mental health facility in Boca Raton offers treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. Call us today at 888-280-4763.