Self-Injury: When the Hurt Is Aimed Inward

Though there may be a higher prevalence of self-injury among adolescence and college-aged students, the behavior may follow into adulthood. Most often self-injury serves the purpose of relieving emotional pain or of connecting with emotional pain and can become the “go to” method of coping. This emotional relief is only temporary. Learning to identify emotion, slow down, and deal with it can allow a more permanent control without the act of self-injury.

Source: Shallcross, L. (2013). When the hurt is aimed inward. Counseling Today, 55 (110. 33-41.)