What is Non-suicidal self-harm, it’s causes &treatment.
What is Non-suicidal self-harm, it’s causes and treatment.
Non suicidal self-injury can be defined as hurting yourself intentionally. It can be associated with negative physical outcomes like chronic physical illness or psychological conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD. If it is non-treated for long it can become the cause of suicidal ideation.
Male and female difference Non suicidal self-harm:
Males and females did not differ with respect to most Non Suicidal Self Injuries characteristics. Though lower quality of life can more affect male, on the contrary psychopathology can cause self-harming behavior among females. Other causes that can trigger self-harming behavior in female are emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse are very well known. Among adolescents, the idea of self-harm is found more in girls rather than boys. While male may be less likely to actually experience urges to self-harm than females, it is also possible that they are less likely to disclose those urges when they occur. Yet more work is needed to understand this aspect. Source:-PubMed central.
What are the causes of self-harm:
Among many causes Psychosocial factors like family psychopathology, family discord, abuse & loss of a parent by death or divorce play significant role in developing suicidal tendencies. Many times self-injurious behaviors may be because of other reasons such as to relieve distressing effects, due to guilt feeling and to gain attention. Research studies say that self-harmers reported greater levels of maladjustment, including emotional distress, antisocial behavior, difficulty in anger control , discomfort caused by anger, and negative self-esteem. Source- research gate.
Treatments available for self-harm
A history of non-suicidal self-injury prior to treatment is a clinical marker for subsequent suicide attempts and should be as carefully assessed in depressed youths as current suicidal intent and behavior. Some of the therapy approaches are following:-
Cognitive behavior therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is the type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people learn how to recognize and change the disturbing thoughts that affect negatively on their behavior. Among self-harmers depression is very common among those individuals, this therapy can make them feel good by changing their negative thoughts & maladaptive behavior patterns.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
(DBT) with suicidal and self-harming individuals is also very helpful tool. This therapy helps in managing emotion by learning emotion regulation skills. Not only this individual learns to handle depressive symptoms and impulsivity as well. Similarly post-traumatic stress disorder, Substance abuse and other psychopathology can be treated with this therapy. This treatment approach is also useful in forming healthy relationships among family members by improving family expressiveness. Clinical psychologists who are well trained in the admiration of DBT.
Role of parenting style
According to the professional clinical psychologist for the parents, it becomes very important to pay more attention to building strong and healthy relationships with their children, it not only helps in controlling such harmful behaviors, but also builds close relationships with parents that can be helpful in developing an emotionally stable and healthy individual in future.
Spirituality
Studies have shown that being spiritual reduces the chances of negative feelings among people. On the other hand lack of spirituality increases the feeling of discrimination by the God. Today’s youths merely show their interest in spirituality. Studies shows that kids who believe that spirituality or religion is important had lower odds of suicidal acts rather then kids who were not believing in spirituality. Source: Reuters
Exercise and yoga:
Yoga and exercise does improve self-body appreciation while further helping in building strong self-love.
Conclusion:
Non suicidal self harm is more common in female and girls. But girls are more spiritual or religious which work as a protective factor from NSSI. Male in Indian culture express less sadness. According to professionals, for healthy development it is important to express true emotion. Yoga, CBT, DBT are therapy tools that are beneficial in treating self-harming behavior.