Read passage on self harm (NSSIB

What is self-harm? Self-harm is the act of deliberately hurting one's body, but without the intent to die. Is self-harm the same as a suicide attempt? The technical term for self-harm is non-suicidal self-injury. So the way we differentiate self-harm from a suicide attempt is really by intent. Did the person have some intent to die with this action, or was it some other motivation like relief of distress?

What are the different types of self-harm? Mostly when we think about self-harm, we think about deliberate damage to the body: scratching oneself, cutting yourself, burning yourself, punching something, hitting yourself, swallowing objects, that kind of thing. But self-harm can also include some less obvious ways of hurting yourself, like drinking or using drugs to dangerous excess or putting yourself in dangerous sexual situations or depriving yourself of food.

Who's most at risk for self-harm? Well, self-harm is surprisingly common. About 15 to 20% of teens report having self-harmed. Self-harm is less common in adults, but it does still happen, particularly if there's a history of early trauma or with certain psychiatric illnesses. It's generally thought that females harm themselves more than males, and this may be so, but it may be closer to 50/50 than we generally think because a lot of the behavior that males tend to do, like provoking a fight and getting hurt, punching a wall, drinking or using drugs to excess, these things are often not categorized as self-harm. Self-harm is more common in people who identify as non-heterosexual or transgender. The experience of being bullied or victimized by peers is also a risk factor for self-harm.

Does self-harm lead to suicide? Well, the short answer is no. The vast majority of people who self-harm do not go on to die by suicide. But the relationship between self-harm and suicide is complicated because self-harm, even non-lethal self-harm, is a risk factor for suicide. This is one of the reasons it's so important to get help for self-harm right away before it becomes intractable, before it becomes harder and harder to stop.

How do I cope with urges to self-harm? Well, first, it's so important to reach out for help. Family, friends, colleagues, loved ones, whoever can provide support. You do not have to be alone with this, and pushing through your own guilt and shame and reaching out for help is the first step. Some of the ways to cope are: reach out for help, get professional help, get a therapist and evaluation for medication, identify and avoid triggers or prepare for them, replace self-harm with other behaviors such as exercise, music, art, whatever works in terms of self-soothing. Taking a walk, vigorous exercise some people find helpful. Taking a hot shower or a bath, punching a punching bag or some other vigorous, even slightly painful activity.

answer the following

• Discuss what the research says about the etiology, incidence, and prevalence of NSSIB across the lifespan
• Explain the complex relationship between self-harm and suicide
• What evidence-based treatment modalities have been recognized as helpful in managing NSSIB