Self-injury?

Question

Is scratching yourself considered self-injury?

Answer 1

It depends why you're doing it, but it definitely can be. If you're just scratching an itch or whatever that's clearly not self-injury, but if the intent is to inflict pain, to draw blood, or even just to leave a mark then it definitely is self-injury.

Answer 2

Well as I run my own Yahoo Health Group for Self Harm yeah scratching CAN BE a form of self injury!!! Of course this depends on what kind of scratching you mean?

If you scratch your skin and head and things every day really really hard and you make yourself bleed than yes; However if your just talking about scratching yourself normally than no!!!

You see Self Harm is any form of damage to your body! Meaning doing harm to your body such as; Burning yourself with anything on purpose; Also Cutting yourself which I did from age 14 to 31, and my personal 1 year anniversary of stopping is coming up on July 6th so I am very proud!!

Other forms can include; Nail biting so much as to make yourself bleed or expose the raw 2nd or 3rd layer of skin! Also punching yourself in the face or anywhere on your body in an aggressive way! I also had troubles with this too and I would punch myself in the face until my eye would start to swell and go shut!!! Looking in the mirror while doing it to punish myself!!

Also taking a pencil eraser and rubbing it on your body so hard that it starts to rip off the skin or rip it open!!! Some other forms are banging your head off the wall and pulling out your hair in chunks!!!

So to sum this up; Self Harm is any form of bodily harm that causes damage to your body in any way, shape, or form!!! Scratching if done continuously and making your skin bleed or leaving marks is a form then of Self Harm!!! However to people like me who have big dark purple scars that will never go away and that we cant get tat's over and stuff of this nature think that scratching is not a form!!!!

However in a slight way yes it is if it damages your body!!! YES!!!

If you are interested in a nice friendly and private enviornment where no one will attack you, or judge you, and you have a little free time, then go ahead and check out my home page on Yahoo Health Groups and here is the link, oh and if you decide you want to talk and join, then you do not have to come to the group everyday! I have members who only read, or post like 1 time per month! However they do learn alot by being quiet because they read the posts so if your interested or anyone reading in not only a Self Harm group, but also a group for Depression, Anxiety, Isolation, and more then check out my home page;
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EDGE-OF-MADNESS/

Thanks Mikey/Pugs/PA

Answer 3

omg i have the same question,. it releases my anxiety when i scratch my head, and i get excited when i get scabs, cuz i can pick at them even more.

i used to cut myself but i stopped, so i wonder too if this is a form of self-injury.

Answer 4

To a degree.... if you feel that it is self injury talk to a doctor.

Answer 5

If it's a deliberate attempt to hurt yourself and leaves a mark that lasts more than a few hours, yes.

Answer 6

yep anything to do with harming.. is self-injury.. and yes its a addiction

Answer 7

to some people yes if your scratching till you bleed than yes

Answer 8

Im no therapist, so I dunno how the medical people view it. But in my opinion it depends on your intentions behind the scratching.

Answer 9

yes- especially if you break skin then it definitely is