There needs to be a clear line drawn when it comes to determining what self-mutilation is and what it is not. A 4th grade kid is who is pushing pins through the calluses of his hands is not mutilating himself. That’s a kid who is bored and isn’t causing any pain because the pin is going through toughened tissues. Self-mutilation occurs when pain is inflicted upon oneself in order to cope with a difficult situation. It can occur in a number of ways, but cutting is often the most talked about form of injurious behavior.
Self-Mutilation Statistics
1. The percentage of people who choose to engage in self-mutilation that begin during their teen or pre-teen years: 90%.
2. Nearly half of all who begin to self-harm by the age of 14 will continue to do so as they enter into their 20’s.
3. Every year, about 20% of girls and 1 out of every 7 boys will engage in at least one action of self-mutilation.
4. About half of those who engage in self-harm activities have been sexually abused at least once in their lives.
5. There are about 2 million cases of self-mutilation that are reported in the United States alone.
6. Up to 90% of those who have practiced self-mutilation at least once did so because they were discouraged from expressing anger or sadness over specific situations.
7. Habitual self-harmers are thought to make up 1% of the total population.
8. A 2003 British study showed that 7% of 15-16 year old would self-mutilate at least once over the course of any given year.
9. Although cutting is usually thought of as the most popular method self-mutilation, poisoning is actually the most popular form of self-harm in every age demographic.
10. 52% of those that injure themselves through self-mutilation seek treatment at some point from an emergency room. Only 6% will seek help through general practice care.
11. The most common place for a self-mutilation event to occur in the US is in the state of Utah. Maine and then Tennessee round out the top 3.
12. Up to 4% of the US population will try self-mutilation at least once during their lifetime. Up to 1% of those people will wind up with a chronic or severe injury.
13. Up to 15% of teens report having at least one self-injury.
14. Up to 20% of the psychiatric population reports having a self-injury, while nearly 3 out of every 4 people with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder will have one.
15. 69% of individuals with dissociative disorders have a history of self-injury.
16. 40% of those who practice some form of self-injury will also have periodic suicidal thoughts that exist as well.
17. Up to 85% of those who injure themselves at least once through self-mutilation will attempt suicide at least once as well.
18. Self-mutilation through cutting accounts for up to 2% of the annual suicides that occur every year.
19. Up to 69% of those who attempt suicide and have a history of self-mutilation also report a previous suicide attempt.
20. 55% of people who self-injure report severe tissue damage.
21. College students have up to a 35% greater risk of choosing self-mutilation when compared to the high school or middle school student demographics.
Additional Facts About Self Mutilation
Self-mutilation is a dangerous and disturbing phenomenon that is remarkably confined mostly to the developed nations of Western Europe and the United States. It is most frequently associated with depression that is untreated, but other mental health issues or disorders can be contributed to self-mutilation. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, self-mutilation is even listed as a symptom of having a borderline personality disorder.
Any behavioral disorder can have a symptom of self-harm, however, which means eating or anxiety disorders may also be associated with self-mutilation. Outside of cutting, burning and picking open wounds so they won’t heal are the most common forms of self-harm. In more rare instances, purposely breaking bones, putting bruises on the body, punching oneself, and even hair pulling have become part of the self-mutilation arsenal.
The danger of self-mutilation is that it may transition into a more serious medical condition. Even slight cuts that cause pain and break through the skin beyond the callus can lead to infections and other complications. With research showing that self-mutilation is a trend that is still continuing to grow, it is more important than ever to know about the sometimes odd self-mutilation statistics that exist so that people can be helped at one of their greatest times of need.
Common Symptoms and Effects
By recognizing the symptoms of self-mutilation, we can come together as a community and help those who need it.
How can someone respond to an individual who is known to be self-mutilating? Above all else, it is important to remain caring and stay calm. If you condemn the person for taking the self-harm actions they have taken, then you will simply send them further into their mental disorder. Self-mutilation is a way to deal with emotional pain that can be overwhelming. Alternative coping skills need to be found in order to truly help someone.
The natural response that happens when we see self-mutilation happening is to order it to stop. Sometimes threats are used to get the behaviors to stop as well. I will send you out of this house if you don’t stop cutting. That doesn’t work. That just leads to more self-harm behaviors because now the individual feels like they aren’t good enough and can’t live up to the expectations of others.
Above all else, actively listen to the person. Have an in-depth conversation, but don’t allow them to recount the details that led to a self-mutilation experience. Doing so may trigger another need to self-harm. Don’t be shocked or dismayed or repulsed. Just be yourself, show someone that you care, and eventually you might just become the trusted support mechanism that someone needs.