Self-injury: Myths vs Facts
MYTHS:
• It’s for attention
• It’s a girl problem
• It’s a suicide “gesture”
• Anyone who does it is a “cutter”
• It’s a teenage problem and just a phase
FACTS:
• People self-injure for a variety of reasons, but very few do it for attention. And if you think it’s for attention ask yourself: “What are they trying to communicate?”
• Males also self-injure. In fact, girls and women are only slightly more likely to self-injure than boys and men.
• By definition, self-injury or “nonsuicidal sell injury” (NSSI) is not a suicide behavior. However, it is a risk factor for suicidal thoughts & behaviors.
• Cutting is just one form of self-injury And there are no “cutters, there are only PEOPLE who cut. We are not defined by our behaviors.
• About 6% of adults have self-injured, and without help or if left untreated, the behavior may persist.
– Dr. Nicholas Westers
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