Self Harm & Suicide

• The relationship between self-harm and suicide is complex. Most commonly the motivation for self-harming behaviour is to cope with, or to gain a sense of relief from painful emotions and distressing personal experiences, not to result in death.


• Any action that is deliberately intended to cause death is best regarded as a suicide attempt.vii Any deliberate attempt on one’s life that results in death is best understood to be a suicide.


• Since most self-harm experts agree that self-harm and suicide are distinct and separate acts, some have suggested that self-harm should be established as an independent clinical syndromeviii.


• According to published research, more than half of individuals who self-harm do not have suicidal thoughts at the time of self-harm and self-harm has been described as a way to avoid suicideix. In one studyx a participant reported that her self-harming behaviours helped her to feel more ‘in control’ whereas her suicidal behaviour occurred when she felt out of control.


• This being said, acts of self-harm need to be taken seriously. Individuals who self-harm may be considered at higher risk of further, more severe self-harm and later suicidexi. Self-harm and suicide attempts can be performed by the same individual – and in some cases the intent may not be completely clear. A British studyxii observed that 16% of people who self-harm repeat their self-harm within one year and 7% suicide within nine years.


• Regardless of the specific intent in any single instance, acts of self-harm or attempted suicide reflect a degree of emotional distress by an individual that requires skilled assessment and support.
  

[taken from: Mind Frame]