Does everyone who self harms have a mental disorder?

[Megson]

I self harm, but I have never been diagnosed with any mental disorders or depression. (I know that just because I've never been diagnosed doesn't mean I don't/have never suffer from any disorders). But I was reading about self harm, and most of my sources said that it is a symptom of many different disorders or other diagnoses.

Does self harm always accompany an underlying, diagnosable mental problem?

[Lost in the Echo]

It's different for everybody, but yes, usually when someone self-harms, because of stress or depression, it usually means they have some kind of mental disorder, and they should definitely seek psychiatric help.

[Desuetude]

Not everyone that self harms has a mental disorder. I think it's common to believe that because quite a few people with mental disorders tend to self harm (I know that's a stereotype, I'm sorry), it's an easy release/way to cope. I'd say a large majority of people that self harm will have some sort of mental disorder but when you think about it, a happy, healthy person that has minimal problems with themselves isn't likely to self harm. You get some people -although it's always a minority- that self harm for attention or because they see it as a 'cool trend'.

Like you said, most of the time self harm is a branch of a disorder of some sort, I guess you could call it a symptom but since it's self inflicted I wouldn't necessary go with that. What people don't realise is that it can spiral so far out of control that it becomes its own problem.

[unusedaccount]

I self harm, but I have never been diagnosed with any mental disorders or depression. (I know that just because I've never been diagnosed doesn't mean I don't/have never suffer from any disorders). But I was reading about self harm, and most of my sources said that it is a symptom of many different disorders or other diagnoses.

Does self harm always accompany an underlying, diagnosable mental problem?

Stop dealing with it yourself, and get some professional help.

[workingatperfect]

Not always, but Depression is a mental illness, as is excessive anxiety. I can't really see a person cutting if they don't have some form of one of those, unless it's an attention thing, and even then, there's probably something wrong with them if they need to cut so people will pity them.

So I guess it doesn't have to be connected to mental illness, but it's probably very rare that someone who cuts doesn't, even if it's just GAD or Depression. The only case I can think of would be a masochist who does it just because they like pain, which would not necessarily imply mental illness of any sort.

[Mortal Coil]

I believe that a lot of the reason people assume self-harmers are mentally disordered is because "normal" people want to distance themselves from people who do SH by creating some external criterion that you have to meet in order to be like that. It's a way of further alienating self-harmers and establishing a difference between "us," the "sane, wholesome people who don't hurt themselves," and "them," the self-harmers who "have to be mentally ill."

Personally, I think you can self-harm without a mental disorder. It's a coping method. You can drink without a mental disorder, you can smoke pot without a mental disorder, or be promiscuous, whatever, and still not be mentally disordered.

[Lyra Heartstrings]

Stop dealing with it yourself, and get some professional help.

This..this upset me a bit. It's very, very hard to tell your parents "Mom, I am depressed, and I have been self harming." It's almost like coming out. It's not a snap of your fingers and BAM, you're done. It's a long, hard process. And the fact that you see it as telling someone what you had for lunch that day is rather insulting.

[Harley Quinn]

Stop dealing with it yourself, and get some professional help.

This..this upset me a bit. It's very, very hard to tell your parents "Mom, I am depressed, and I have been self harming." It's almost like coming out. It's not a snap of your fingers and BAM, you're done. It's a long, hard process. And the fact that you see it as telling someone what you had for lunch that day is rather insulting.

I'd also like to add on how private self harm is, and that many are afraid to speak out for this exact reason. Even with professional help, and lots of it, it doesn't help some people, it never helped me. Some people just don't like talking and so to talk to anyone about it isn't a simple thing to do. I do see what you're saying though, I just think you should have phrased it better - OP.

[unusedaccount]

This..this upset me a bit. It's very, very hard to tell your parents "Mom, I am depressed, and I have been self harming." It's almost like coming out. It's not a snap of your fingers and BAM, you're done. It's a long, hard process. And the fact that you see it as telling someone what you had for lunch that day is rather insulting.

I understand that the directness of what I said may have hurt you, but isn't self harming really harming you more? Physically and mentally. Your leaving scars on your body that will stay with you for the rest of you life, a constant reminder of what you've done to yourself. Even though it may be hard, you should try to seek some kind of help, whether it be face to face, telephone counselling, or whatever works for you.

[Lyra Heartstrings]

I understand that, what I said may have harmed you, but isn't self harming really harming you more? Physically and mentally. Your leaving scars on your body that will stay with you for the rest of you life, a constant reminder of what you've done to yourself. Even though it may be hard, you should try to seek some kind of help, whether it be face to face, telephone counselling, or whatever works for you.

I've been through counseling and I have stopped cutting. However, I don't think you understand how hard it really is to..say that.
I'd rather this not be derailed any further, so please get back on topic.
(/not a mod in this section but whatever.)

[unusedaccount]

I've been through counseling and I have stopped cutting. However, I don't think you understand how hard it really is to..say that.
I'd rather this not be derailed any further, so please get back on topic.
(/not a mod in this section but whatever.)

The topic, is trying to say whether or not everyone that harms has a mental disorder. Doctors would say yes, because no sane person would harm themselves purposely. Realistically? In this day and age, I don't think its true, the pressure of what teens have to deal with nowadays is much greater than that of what teens in the early and mid 20th century had to deal with. Social relations, constant judgement from your peers, school, parents pushing you to get good grades, among numerous other things, all contribute to a high level of anxiety and stress. I don't think its right, but for the reasons above, I can't say that I see or think that everyone who self harms should be seen, as suffering from a mental condition.

[CaileenPatrice]

Yes. I have many . But the reason I self harm is stress and depression. I love pain. Its always been my friend, Even when I had no one else.

[Primalfear2121]

Actually; yes!

I was diagnosed with Depression. Though; I do have other disorders I do believe I have.

[xXJust Jump ItXx]

Im not in the mood to type a long thing today but yes. Depression and PTSD.