What is self-harm?

Self-harm is an umbrella term for many different behaviours and these can vary between individuals and over time

Self-harm includes many different behaviours and these can differ among individuals and change over time. However, the behaviour is often due to difficult emotions and feelings that a person is having.

Throughout this website, we use the term self-harm which refers to any act of self-poisoning or self-injury, carried out by an individual irrespective of their motivation. This is the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard (NICE) definition and it is also a term that young people use and understand.

Common self-harm behaviours include (but are not limited to):

  • self-cutting
  • swallowing objects
  • burning
  • scratching
  • self-hitting
  • taking an overdose of medication

These behaviours may progress over time and have lasting consequences. Changes in the way a person self-harms may indicate an escalation or an attempt to hide their injuries.

There are different terms used to describe self-harm, and they usually refer to the intention behind the behaviour. If a person engages in self-harm behaviour but is not intending to end their life, this is sometimes referred to as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, when a person self-harms with the intent of ending their own life, this is called a suicide attempt.

Definition
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard (NICE) defines self-harm as intentional self-poisoning or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose.
"...people's first idea of self-harm is cutting, but there are other forms of self-harm. So, increasing awareness of the other manifestations of self-harm would be quite helpful"
Source: (School staff, SORTS focus group)
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