PSYC 356 Lecture 7: Week 9
Document Summary
Most common forms: cutting (arms, legs, torso, burning (burn self w/ hot metal after turning lighter off) Often to deal w/ sadness, depression (more systematic, deliberate: often in response to personal rejection, anxiety more ripping at skin, less deliberate (cid:523)(cid:498)don"t know what to do with anxious energy(cid:499)(cid:524) Essential features of self-harm in adolescents sense of relief from intolerable negative feelings and mounting tension tend to be depressed, sensitive to interpersonal rejection, irritable. Common precipitants: situations leading to feelings of rejection, hopeless, anger, or guilt. Not unique symptom of bpd important because bpd stigmatized can be highly repetitive in-patients: do it often. In other words, self-harm = sign of adolescent who is experiencing significant distress. Typically begins in early-mid adolescence (12-15 yrs) Estimated prevalence 14-39% inpatient: as high as 61% rising. No sex differences in amount: girls start earlier implications: why would a guy be cutting himself if he only had conduct disorder? should be feeling some sadness, etc.