Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the intentional, self-inflicted damage to body tissue, carried out without suicidal intent and not for socially or culturally accepted reasons. These behaviours become concerning when they are repeated and have an impact on daily life and overall functioning.
Self-harms in first person
Our current approach to this situation is therapy, there are no medications that can change this behaviour. And the therapy that works best is dialectic behavioural therapy. We work tolerance to discomfort; We realize that in life problems occur and forms of communication.
Self-harm or self-injuries are defined as intentional injuries which people inflict on themselves.
The most common forms of self-harm are:
Cutting
Biting
Pinching
Scratching
Burning
Hitting
Head-banging
Self-embedding objects
Swallowing objects
How many people are affected by self-harming?
Research suggests that up to 30% of adolescents have harmed themselves at least once, usually as an isolated episode and not directly linked to a mental health disorder.
Repeated NSSI affects around 6–9% of the population and is more often associated with underlying mental health conditions. NSSI is most common in early adolescence, tends to decline in late adolescence, with a second rise around the age of 20, though they may occur at any point in life.
Women are slightly more likely to engage in self-harm than men, and this gender difference is particularly evident in clinical samples. Rates are also higher among young people who identify as bisexual or transgender.
Related contents
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Published: 30 October 2019
Updated: 22 September 2025
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