Self injury, or self harm, may be a creative unconscious solution to challenging problems of living. Why a person chooses self harm as a means to cope with uncomfortable feelings or as a means to feel from a more deadened state is a particularly sensitive and intrapersonal issue. Most likely, a person who engages in self injury would be willing to give it up, but they feel like they just cannot. During the course of therapy, this dilemma can be addressed and a client can be helped in developing more adaptive means to deal with problems.

Although some forms of self injury are much more common than others, the severity and types of self-injury vary greatly. Signs may include:

• cutting
• burning
• biting
• scratching
• bruising
• pulling hair

An assessment of a person’s self injurious behavior is very important. A differentiation between self harm and suicide attempts must be made for person’s who may be suffering from depression.

Hunger diseases often start gradually and spiral out of control, until becoming life threatening. Treatment is essential. It addresses not only the eating disorder or self injury, but also the depression, shame, anxiety, and relationship difficulties that may also be present.