Citation

Strayhorn JJ. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaac.2023.02.005

PMID

36775118

Abstract

Why do so many adolescents engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)? Perhaps emotional pain is so great that the distraction created by pain from self-injury reduces the net level of suffering. Perhaps release of endorphins reduces the total level of pain. Maybe the person has learned to associate punishment with temporary relief from blame and guilt. Perhaps self-injury has an interpersonal function: to signal the need for help, or the need for affiliation, or to protest and express anger, or to signal solidarity with another person or group.

Language: en