How does self-injury become addictive?
A person who becomes a habitual self-injurer usually follows a common progression: the first incident may occur by accident, or after seeing or hearing of others who engage in self-injury the person has strong feelings such as anger, fear, anxiety, or dread before an injuring event these feelings build, and the person has no way to express or address them directly cutting or other self-injury provides a sense of relief, a release of the mounting tension a feeling of guilt and shame usually follows the event the person hides the tools used to injure, and covers up the evidence, often by wearing long sleeves the next time a similar strong feeling arises, the person has been “conditioned” to seek relief in the same way the feelings of shame paradoxically lead to continued self-injurious behavior the person feels compelled to repeat self-harm, which is likely to increase in frequency and degree Why do people engage in self-injury? Even though there is the possibility that a self-inflicted
