Non suicidal self-injury among youths: A probe into the ‘what’s’ and ‘whys’ of self-harm

Abstract

Self-harm is defined as hurting oneself intentionally. It is basically when people try to do things that will cause them intense pain but not leading to death. This drastic increase in self-injury or deliberate Self-harm in youngsters has become a growing concern. Hence, this study aims to delve deep into the reasons of Self-harm and probe the possible causes of why adolescents and young adults are so prone towards Non Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). The study also tries to understand its impact on their psychological wellbeing. Hence, semi-structured interviews were conducted on individuals, aged between 15 to 25 years, having history of NSSI behaviours or seeking treatment for the same. Thematic analyses were used to analyse the data. Analyses revealed various reasons of why people injure themselves. On one hand, some feel relieved by assuming that traumatic feeling is being released when they harm themselves and on the other some engage in Self-harm because that physical sensation of pain makes them feel alive.