Understanding & Responding to Self-Inflicted Violence: I Don’t Want To Die... I Just Want To Stop Feeling This Way”

Maybe you know someone who cuts her/himself when upset; maybe you’ve done this yourself when your emotions seemed overwhelming. If so, you’re not alone. SIV is a common, but often concealed, method of coping with intense feelings. Self-inflicted violence (SIV), the deliberate harming of one’s own body without conscious suicidal intent, is a growing concern among college students. Here are some basics:

• SIV takes many forms and includes cutting oneself, burning, picking, breaking bones, hitting one’s head, repetitive scratching, and interfering with the healing of wounds.

• SIV does not include tattooing, body piercing, religious or initiation rites, or cosmetic surgery.

• Although ultimately unhealthy, SIV is a way some individuals attempt to get relief from feelings that are not expressed in words, self-soothe or experience euphoria, express emotional pain physically, communicate distress to others, escape from emotional upset, feel pain instead of feeling empty or numb, or establish a sense of control.

• SIV is not attempted suicide!

Options for Yourself or a Friend

Professional help typically focuses on helping a student identify, tolerate, express and cope with underlying feelings more effectively. While this may take some time, often students benefit from short-term help to get started, too. The CAPS staff members are knowledgeable and empathic about SIV and can respond to your concerns with short-term therapy, referral information, and educational resources.
If you are concerned about a friend, we can discuss your concerns and help you manage your own responses to the situation. Our services are free and confidential.

How to Support a Friend

♦ Avoid judgment - While SIV may seem shocking to you,
your friend is coping in the best way s/he can at the moment.
And, it’s likely that s/he already feels isolated and ashamed.
♦ Support his/her feelings without supporting the behavior.
♦ Talk openly and directly about his/her SIV behavior and
your concerns.
♦ Encourage your friend to seek professional help.
♦ Be aware of your own feelings and reactions.
♦ Learn more about SIV.
♦ Take care of yourself, too. Don’t try to fix the problem!
♦ Consult with CAPS if you feel overwhelmed or uncertain.

For More Information:

♦ The Scarred Soul: Understanding and Ending Self-Inflicted
Violence
Tracy Alderman, Ph.D.
New Harbinger Publications,
1997
♦ www.goaskalice.columbia.edu “self injury”
♦ www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html


Feel free to use the "Comments or Questions?" link below if you have any questions.