Self-harm (SH), also termed self-injury (SI), is the act or acts of deliberately hurting oneself. Methods of doing so include, but are not limited to cutting, scratching, burning, biting, and banging or hitting body parts. Eating disorders are also considered to exist on the self-harm spectrum, as are some high-risk unsafe sexual practices (specifically anything related to Erotic Asphyxiation, weapons play with "live" weapons such as sharp knives or loaded firearms, and/or intentionally trying to become infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.) Particularly easy to miss are those who commit emotional self-harm, which can be both a surrogate and precursor to physical self-harm.^note Emotional Self-Harm does not mean watching a sad movie or being mad at yourself for failing at something unintentionally. Emotional self-harm would involve intentionally reading hate speech (especially when it's directed at a group you're a member of), intentionally failing at an important task, intentionally starting arguments or flame wars, or intentionally seeking out degrading relationships and situations. Some consider cigarette smoking and tobacco use and/or the intentional consumption of severely unhealthy foods as forms of Self Harm, but this is somewhat controversial because the motivations underlying both behaviors are often somewhat different than those underlying more traditional forms of self-harm.^note Specifically, the most common motivations for smoking and for eating very unhealthy food are pleasure-seeking and/or to cope with surroundings where one or both are available/temporarily advantageous, or to "fit in" or "rebel" socially. These are in contrast to almost all of the motivations for more "traditional" self-harm mentioned.

There is a lot of stigma surrounding self-harm. In fiction, it is generally associated with the emo subculture and often thought that self-injurers are "just doing it for attention". Cutting is by far the most represented form of SI in fiction, though other forms are seen.

In reality, however, there are many reasons for self-harm, and it is not confined to (or encouraged by) any particular subcultures. It is usually a sign that someone is really hurting inside or suffering from mental illness; self-harm is associated with a variety of mental illnesses, including depression and borderline personality disorder (BPD is, in fact, the only illness for which the DSM lists self-harm as a criterion.) Contrary to the belief that they are seeking attention, many self-injurers will go to great lengths to hide their injuries or keep the reason that they received those injuries a secret by covering them up with clothing and/or makeup or by claiming that the injuries were an accident, respectively.

Reasons for self-injury include, but are not limited to:

• Relief of emotional pain: many people who self-harm suffer from disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder which cause intense emotional ups or downs. Self-harm can provide temporary relief from these emotions.
• To generate feelings: On the other end of the spectrum, some people who self-harm have feelings of numbness or dissociation, and the only way that they can feel anything at all is by hurting themselves.
• Control: Often in addition to one or both of the above, people may self-harm because the pain it generates is the only feeling that they are able to control.
• Self-punishment: some people who self-harm do it because they think they've done something that warrants punishment, or perhaps they suffer from self-loathing and think they deserve to suffer pain.
• Sexual gratification via pain: Some people obtain sexual gratification via acts that are sufficiently extreme enough to cross over from "harmless" (e.g. getting insulted or spanked) to Self Harm (e.g. Erotic Asphyxiation or knife play) whether with a partner or alone.
• To communicate to others: Although it's much less frequent than is usually portrayed, some people self-harm because they don't know how to effectively communicate to others. It doesn't make them manipulative or attention-seeking, it just means that they don't know of better ways to communicate. It can be a sort of distress signal. Some people do this because they feel that their mental health isn't taken seriously and use this to say, "Please, listen. I need help. This really is an issue. This is what can happen if I don't get the help I need."
• Though it's not as common as the others, some simply do it as a quick and simple way to feel good for a short amount of time.
• Religion or ritual: Though it's not as common as the other reasons in modern times, some people self-harm or subject themselves to harm from someone else as a result of religious belief or as a ritual act. In past times, it was far more common, with a distinct overlap between it and the above-mentioned reasons of self-punishment or sexual gratification.
• Seeking community/social acceptance: This one is almost exclusive to eating disorders and to seeking HIV infection: cutting, burning, and the like aren't usually done to be a part of a community, but some people actually want to be anorexic or bulimic because anorexia or bulimia make them skinny/socially accepted, or because they can relate to other eating disordered people online or in real life. Some of those who seek HIV infection view being HIV+ as a "club" or "community," and seek it for that reason, as well. It is also the reason some people smoke and/or consume unhealthy foods if you consider one or both of those intentional self-harm.

It should be noted that not all people who self-harm are suicidal, though there is an increased risk of suicide in those who do, especially accidental suicide if the person truly does not care about living or dying, or has no education or interest in harm reduction/is engaging in specifically risky practices. However, in media, self-harm frequently signifies that a character is suicidal.

Self-Mutilation Demonstration is another reason why characters might deliberately injure themselves, as is any situation when they're faced with a Life-or-Limb Decision. Compare Stop Hitting Yourself, where an opponent or bully forces someone to hurt oneself, and Deliberate Injury Gambit, where someone hurts themselves (or allows themselves to be hurt) as a means to achieve a net benefit.

Example subpages:

• Fan Works

Other examples: