The Relationship Between Self-Injury and Depression

Self-Injury is known by many names, including self-abuse, self-mutilation, deliberate self-harm, parasuicidal behavior. It may be referred to by specific methods of self-injury such as "delicate" or "coarse" cutting, burning, or hair pulling.

Self-Injury transcends gender, age, religion, educational and income level. It may be accompanied by depression, and/or a range of psychiatric problems such as other mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addictions, eating disorders or psychotic disorders. The longer it goes unrecognized and untreated the more disruptive it is to the sufferer's life and relationships and the more treatment-resistant it may become.

More information about the relationship between self-injury and clinical depression

• Study of Patients Who Exhibited Cutting Behavior and Suicidality

• Depression: Suicide and Self Injury

• Psychological Characteristics Common in Self-Injurers

• Depression is Common in People Who Self-Injure: Therapist's Comments

• Cutting: Self Mutilating to Release Emotional Stress

• Self Mutilation: Self-Injurers Often Suffered Sexual or Emotional Abuse

Treatment

• Teen-Depression Treatment Teaches Kids to Handle Anxiety

• Can Caviar Cure Depression? Fishing for Health

• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing to Treat PTSD

• Coping with Feelings and Thoughts of Suicide - Transcript