It is estimated that between 2 and 4 million Americans, the vast majority being young women between the ages of 13 and 30, cut or otherwise habitually inflict injury upon themselves. Over 90% of the 8 million Americans with eating disorders are women. In 1969 an article appeared in the British Journal of Medical Psychology defining the condition of "delicate self cutting" and described young women who were so extremely sensitive to feelings of abandonment that they repeatedly hurt themselves in a superficial manner (Pao 1969). Unfortunately these new thoughts on the subject were quickly overshadowed in the early 1970's when two flawed studies were published. Both of these new studies mistakenly regarded cutting solely as a suicide attempt (Favazza 1996). The ramifications of this mistake are still being played out in psychiatrists offices and hospitals throughout the country. Even with the predominance of this behavior in our society nearly every aspect of it, even such simple things such as who does it and why, is vastly misunderstood and most of those who encounter it - family members, friends, supporters and even many professionals - struggle to understand why people do it and find the behavior disturbing and puzzling. Self-injury is an expression of acute psychological distress. It is an act done to oneself, by oneself, with the intention of helping oneself rather than killing oneself. Paradoxically, damage is done to the body in an attempt to preserve the integrity of the mind; it is a preservation technique and for many cutters self-mutilation relieves anxiety or depersonalization symptoms which could lead to suicide if not alleviated. |
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