It’s a perplexing phenomenon with many names: self-injury, self-harm, self-mutilation, self-inflicted violence, self-cutting, and self-abuse to name some. Those who come across it – family members, friends, supporters – even many professionals – struggle to understand why people do it, and find the behavior disturbing and puzzling. Recent reports imply that it is reaching ‘epidemic proportions,’ particularly among young people. Furthermore, research suggests that it is a frequent companion to eating disorders, alcohol abuse and drug abuse, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and dissociative disorders. Those caught in its clutches claim that it is difficult to stop due to its highly addictive nature, or say they are reluctant to try because it helps them ‘feel better,’ ‘more in control,’ ‘more real,’ or simply ‘it keeps them alive.’ Click here to read more…