Please click on any the following links for more information about self-injury:

• What Self-Injury Is
• Support Group in NJ
• For Parents & Loved Ones
• Self-Injury Brochure

Self-injury is when a person causes intentional pain, harm and/or injuries to his or her own body as a way of coping or expressing overwhelming emotions.  

At times it can be brought on by a compulsion or impulse to cause harm
It can be reactive and an instant answer to something going on at that moment
For some individuals, causing self-harm can be a planned out incident 

Self-Injury is a coping mechanism, not a healthy one, but nonetheless it is a way for the person to express a wide variety of emotions (fear, anger, rage, sadness) and get through the moment.

Self-Injury affects people of all ages, races and backgrounds and is not only a "teen issue" or a "woman's issue". A person who causes self-inflicted pain and/or injuries can be male, female, young, old, married, single, or even a mother or a father.  

Although it may seem strange for a person to comprehend, self-injury is a coping mechanism and for some, a way of survival.

Self-Injury is also referred to as: 'SI', self-harm, self-abuse, self-mutilation; some people may even refer to themselves as 'cutters'. The intensity and severity of self-injury varies from person to person, as do the reasons for causing such harm.