The Scarred Soul

I've written a post about some of my reactions to this. http://talesofacrazypsychmajor.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/nss-in-the-dsm-5/

I don't think self-harm should be diagnosed as it's own "mental disorder." That completely disregards the fact that for the vast majority of people struggling with this, it is a symptom of a much larger issue, such as depression, anxiety, abuse, or trauma. Self-harm is a coping method; it is not a "mental disorder" in and of itself.

@Anonymous I care to disagree with you. I am a cutter and not scared or ashamed to admit it. I am not depressed, have never been abused, traumatized, or had issues with anxiety. Yes, it is a coping method, I use it to cope with stress. It is also an addiction. Trichotillomania (hair pulling) is considered to be a mental disorder. It is listed as a behavior disorder. Both are used for similar purposes, to cope with stress. So if Trichotillomania is considered a disorder, Non-Suicidal Self-Injury should be considered one too. Also, it is not just about what should be considered a "mental disorder," it is about addressing a nationwide issue. By including NSSI in the DSM-V, clinicians will be better equipped to help those who need it. It will also give researchers a basis for their studies. This leads to more consistent knowledge to help those, like me, who struggle with this addiction.

Thank-you anon! My teen has become a cutter as of this past summer. We have had to deal with the assumption that there "must be" some kind of trauma that she has had to experience and yet, even when she tells them there is none, they just won't believe her. Such problem this is creating is untold. Personally, I will try to get this information out to the folks who need it the most....Professionals!!!!!! Maybe they will finally listen to her and to us because we love her and just want her to have a nice life!!!

As I was reading the information on the APA website prior to coming across this article I breathed numerous sighs of relief.
For months I was unable to figure out what was wrong with me as I was not diagnosed as having either depression or anxiety (on the surface the two most likely culprits), but I could not understand how I was thinking what I was thinking and feeling what I was feeling without some measure of either.

I was continually thinking of injuring myself as a way of extinguishing a very *non-descript and persistent* tension within me. Although I have cut myself in the past, I have resolved not to do it again, but fighting the onslaught of these thoughts became a real challenge. I did not seriously consider taking my own life, but feared that if I acted upon some of these thoughts I could cause myself serious injury.

The illness is in continually and irrationally thinking (despite previous experience) that the warmth you feel in the area surrounding the cut (or other injury) will spread across your whole body and lull you to sleep, rendering you unable to feel this underlying non-descript tension.
The reality is that this sensation does not extend any further than 2 inches outside the boundary of the cut.

I have since received counselling for other issues in my life and have seen a dramatic improvement, and a drastic decrease in the frequency of self-injurous thoughts.

Recognition of NSSID will be a blessing, especially for those like myself who have delayed getting help because they feared overreaction, as self harm seems so *inextricably* linked to suicide.