Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent, excluding culturally sanctioned body modification such as tattoos and piercings. The most commonly reported methods of self-injury include cutting, scratching, hitting, burning skin, biting, interfering with wound healing, and skin picking, with most repeat self-injurers engaging in more than one method of these behaviors. NSSI typically emerges during early to midadolescence, with an average age of onset between 12 and 15 years, but it has also been reported among children as young as 8 years old. These behaviors are pervasive among both clinical and community populations, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Although NSSI has traditionally been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD), the diagnostic heterogeneity and clinical ...

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