Self-Mutilation

Self-Mutilation

The act of self-mutilation is a growing problem in the United States, which people have very little understanding of. It is also something I have dealt with personally. Because so many people do not understand self-mutilation, it is very difficult for those doing the activity to get help when they want it. In the United States today there are an estimated two to three million people who self-mutilate. This is why I believe self-mutilation is a problem that needs to be dealt with.

Self-mutilation is defined as “the deliberate harming of or altering of body tissue without the intent to commit suicide” (“Self-Injury”). Along with the actual definition of self-mutilation, there are five key concepts to further define it. According to the article “Self-Injury” the first concept of self-mutilation is that it is an act done to the self. Secondly, it is an act done by the self. The third concept states that there must be a form of physical violence to be considered self-mutilation. The fourth states that there is no intent to kill ones self and the last concept is that self-mutilation is an intentional act (“Self-Injury”).

Self-mutilation has been divided into two major groups, which have then been subdivided into more detailed groups. The first of the two groups is culturally sanctioned self-mutilation. This breaks down into rituals and practices. This kind of self-mutilation would be seen as acceptable in society. The second of the two major groups is deviant self-mutilation. Deviant self-mutilation is broken down into major self-mutilation, stereotypic self-mutilation, and superficial/moderate self-mutilation. This kind of self-mutilation is not seen as acceptable in society.

Major self-mutilation would include acts such as castration, amputation of limbs, and eye enucleation. The article “Self-Injury” says that major self-mutilation is most commonly seen in those with psychotic problems. Stereotypic self-mutilation according to “Self-Injury” is repetitive and often seen in the autistic, mentally retarded, or psychotic. The most common form of abuse in this subdivision is head banging. Superficial/moderate self-mutilation is the most commonly seen. It includes cutting, burning, skin picking, hair pulling, bone breaking, hitting, and interference with wound healing. Superficial/moderate self-mutilation is again broken down into compulsive, episodic, and repetitive. The article “Self-Injury” explains that compulsive self-mutilation is ritualistic and occurs many times. The most common behavior is skin picking. Episodic self-mutilation is related to dissociative disorders and depression. The person who self-mutilates does not identify with the act. In repetitive self-mutilation, the person self-mutilating identifies him or herself with the behavior. They become addicted to the act and it becomes an impulse disorder (“Self-Injury”).

Self-mutilation crosses all boundaries of age, race, and gender. Although there is no “typical” self-mutilator, an image of who is most likely to turn to self-mutilation can be created. The image self-mutilator is a female in adolescence or young adulthood that came from a middle to upper middle class family and is intelligent (Zila). It is said that more women self-mutilate because they internalize their anger. A theory from Zila is that the onset of puberty, especially menstruation, causes adjustment problems. The motivation for self-mutilation varies however. Many use self-mutilation as a relief from overwhelming emotions, as a physical expression of emotional pain, as a way to break away from numbness and dissociation, as self-punishment or self-hate, or as a way to nurture themselves.

According to Strong, those who use self-mutilation for relief of overwhelming emotions often have not learned how to express or identify with their emotions. They seem uncontrollable and they have adapted to self-mutilation for fast relief. One person says, “There are times when I just hurt too bad- too deep for tears- so I cut and it lets out some of the hurt.” (Strong). The people who have turned to self-mutilation to physically express their emotional pain see their wounds as their inner pain. The best way to describe this was found in the book A Bright Red Scream: self-mutilation and the language of pain by Marilee Strong. It says, “ …I saw the cuts as the pain inside out, brought to the surface, and internal hurt made tangible.” This person’s injury showed her inner emotional pains. People who self-mutilate because of numbness and dissociation do so as a way to cope. Everyone dissociates to some degree, but self-mutilators turn to dissociation to escape. On the other hand, some may self-mutilate to snap out of a dissociative state (“Self-Injury”). A good description of a dissociative state is also found