Research says teen self-injury is common
“Cutting is the loneliest and most embarrassing experience, but once you talk about it you discover how many people have done the same thing.” Elizabeth Wurtzel, Prozac Nation
Public figures reported to have engaged in self-injury include Angelina Jolie, Christina Ricci, Johnny Depp, Courtney Love, Fiona Apple, and Princess Diana.
A new study concludes that “Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, the deliberate, direct destruction of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent, is a relatively common occurrence for adolescents in high school.
The most common reasons teens in the study engaged in NSSI included “to stop bad feelings, try and get a reaction from someone” and “manage situations in their environment…”
More on this study, plus quotes by Princess Diana and others on the page Cutting - self-injury; also see Cutting/self-injury articles books sites.
Cutting as a strategy to “to stop bad feelings” may be related to high sensitivity. [See the Highly Sensitive blog for more on the trait.]
Psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski was “keenly interested in self-mutilation as a phenomenon suggestive of higher than average sensitivity. His Ph.D. dissertation, first published in 1934.. showed the co-existence of self-mutilatory tendencies, creativity and strong developmental strivings in a select group of creative individuals.”
From article Theory of Positive Disintegration as a Model of Personality Development For Exceptional Individuals.
Also - there are other strategies to deal with anxiety.
