Self Injury

In recent years, the incidence of self-injury among teens has been rising. Self-injury usually begins at the onset of puberty and may last anywhere from five to ten years. In some cases, it can continue well into adulthood. They typical self-injurer comes from a middle to upper-middle class background, has average to high intelligence, is typically female and has low self-esteem. Often, she is the victim of physical and/or sexual abuse. A self-contained perfectionist bent on pleasing others, the self-injurer has at some point in her life been discouraged from expressing strong emotions, especially anger and sadness. In an attempt to come to terms with emotions that they are feeling, which often seem either overwhelming or inaccessible, teens will engage in a number of self-injurious actions. These activities include cutting, burning, gouging, bone breaking, scratching, head banging, etc. The self-injurer usually experiences a feeling of release or relief when engaging in self-harming behaviors.

In the past, self-injury was viewed by some as an unsuccessful suicide attempt; this is not the case, however. The self-injurer is not trying to commit suicide, but rather is attempting to manage her own difficult emotions. Between one half and one third of self-injurers also have eating disorders.

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What Some of the Girls Said:

• A lot of my friends have carved themselves for a long time because it was the cool thing to do.

• I scratched my arm one time. I had a cross on it and it was there for a really long time. My parents weren't happy when they found it.

• One of my friends does when she's mad at herself or whatever, but that's not very often. She does like real small things where it's almost like she's like taking all of her anger and making it into something happy.

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Beyond the Butterfly is co-produced by Wisconsin Public Television and NEWIST/CESA #7 (Northeastern Wisconsin In-School Telecommunications).