What causes Self-Injurious Behavior?
Self-injury is a mechanism or outlet to deal with strong underlying emotions including anger, sadness or shame, often related to previous psychological trauma. Self-mutilation may relieve tension or anxiety, with cutters often reporting relief after their behavior. Some psychologists believe that self-mutilation is a mechanism to abort a dissociative episode related to previous psychological trauma. They consider the act of self-harm to make them feel alive as opposed to dissociating. Furthermore, cutting causes release of endorphins, the bodys intrinsic pain medications. Finally, self-mutilation can become almost ritualistic, with the mutilation giving the person a sense of control over themselves. Persons who repetitively self-injure themselves have been diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, anorexia, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative, anxiety and panic disorders, and impulse-control disorder. Some mental health professionals
