Self-injury is beset by myths and misconceptions. Stereotyping people keeps myths, stigma and prejudice alive. Becoming better informed is vital to reducing prejudice and stigma. In Chapter 1, the misapprehension that self-injury is a suicidal act was examined. In this chapter ten more common myths about self-injury are appraised. To start with though, we look at who is likely to encounter self-injury in their work, as well as discussing the issue of self-injury in prison, wherein rates of self-injury are reported to be high.

Who Encounters Self-Injury?

Self-injury is encountered in a range of environments. It is familiar behaviour to staff working in prisons, young offenders’ institutions, secure units, special hospitals and psychiatric hospitals. GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors may also encounter patients or clients that self-injure. In addition, it happens in schools, colleges and universities, and may also be seen in children’s homes, housing projects, and alcohol and drug rehabilitation units.

Youth workers, those working with the homeless, and those working in the voluntary sector with rape victims and abuse survivors may also come across the behaviour during the course of their work.

Self-Injury In Prison

The following testimony from a former repeated offender provides a glimpse into what motivated him to self-injure in prison:

Research suggests that self-injury is prevalent in prisons, particularly among women inmates. Why is it common in prison? Here are some possible explanations. Besides loss of freedom, incarceration leads to other significant losses such as loss of privacy, dignity, self-respect, income, physical and emotional contact with children, family and friends, and intimate relationships with partners.

Control over one’s own life becomes a thing of the past, resulting in feelings of powerlessness and frustration. Outward displays of hostility are likely to result in additional punishment, or prolonged isolation. Noise; poor conditions; overcrowding; bullying; time to dwell on the past, the present, or the future, and lack of stimulating activities can lead to raised stressed levels, depression or other mental health issues. It’s also well recognised that traumatic histories feature in the lives of many of those incarcerated.

Strong emotions don’t magically disappear, they need a release, and if striking out runs the risk of further pain or punishment, what other choice is there? Hurting oneself may seem like the only other viable solution.

Research also suggests that self-injury is used in prison for secondary gain, for example as a way of manipulating others into being moved to a prison closer to home and family or to the hospital wing.

Writer and broadcaster, Angela Devlin, who visited many women’s prisons while researching for her book, Invisible Women (1998), gives an example of one such incident – she writes:

Devlin’s closing sentence demonstrates sensitivity and a willingness to think ‘outside the box’ which is essential to understanding self-injury. This takes us conveniently on to the subject of looking beyond the myths.

Myth 1: Self-Injury Is About Getting Attention

Unquestionably, self-injury is occasionally used as a way of drawing attention to one’s pain and suffering if attempts to express one’s anguish falls on deaf ears, words cannot accurately convey what is being felt on the inside or one’s emotional needs are not being met. As disclosed by one respondent: ‘I think the reason I used self-harm to try and get attention was connected to the fact that neither of my parents ever showed me any physical affection.’

Everyone needs attention and affection to feel nurtured, special, valued, a person of worth – starved of these essential ingredients to healthy emotional development in childhood can lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, low self-esteem, attachment issues, psychological distress, and a fragile emotional template.

Moreover, as many people who self-injure go to extraordinary lengths to conceal their wounds from the rest of the world, tarring all those who self-injure with the ‘attention seeking’ brush not only has the potential to add to a person’s distress, it can also serve as a strong deterrent from seeking help for one’s injuries.

To shift away from the negative overtones implied by the term ‘attention-seeking’ one respondent suggested a turn of phrase to ‘help-seeking’. From a personal perspective, since self-injury is more about needing attention, rather than actively seeking attention, my preference is the term ‘attention-needing’.