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Who’s hurting who? Understanding Self harm


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Category
Articles
Publisher
Indian Psychiatric Society
Publishing Date
01-Oct-2006
volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
71-75
  • Abstract

Self harm or self injurious behavior is not well understood and has not been extensively studied. Self harm means repetitive, deliberate, direct, destruction of body tissue without a conscious suicial intent. It has been referred to as para-suicide' 'self-injury, 'áttempted sucide, deliberate self harm, self multilation'etc, but no single word is wholly satisfactory. It is more common in females. A variety of psychological factors play role in individuals who engage in self- harm. There is risk of repletion and suicide in these people. Treatment is mainly psychological and social. Drugs are required for a small minortiy of patients.