On some psychological aspects of self-harm
List of Authors
  • Andrej Démuth , Slávka Démuthová

Keyword
  • self-harm, mental reasons, self-improvement

Abstract
  • The presented paper tries to analyse the psychological dimension of self-harm. The explanatory background of the study is that the term “self-harm” represents a complex and multidimensional problem, which requires an understanding from the three main dimensions (somatic-psycho-social/spiritual) of personality. The core of the study is to analyse the phenomenological description, functions and relationship between the somatic, mental and neural processes of self-harming from the point of view of psychological aspects of self-harming. The authors show that self-harm can be understood as a specific form of dialectical self-relationship – very often associated with forms and functions of self-criticism, hate or shame and feelings of inferiority (low social rank), but the hidden purpose of this behaviour may link to the self-improvement.

Reference
  • 1. Abbott, G. (2016). “Flagellation”. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, June 12. Located at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/209255/flagellation 2. Arnold, C. (2014, October, 13). How self-harm provokes the brain into feeling better. Aeon. Retrieved from: https://aeon.co/essays/how-self-harm-provokes-the-brain-into-feeling-better. 3. Biro, D. (2010). Is There Such a Thing as Psychological Pain? and Why It Matters. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry. 2010 Dec; 34(4), 658–667. 4. Coghill, R.C., McHaffie, J. G., Yen, Y. F. (2003, Jul, 8). Neural correlates of interindividual differences in the subjective experience of pain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 100(14), 8538-8542. Epub 2003 Jun 24. 5. Damasio, A., R., Everitt, B., J., Bishop, D. (1996). The somatic marker hypothesis and the possible functions of the prefrontal cortex. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 351(1346), 1413–1420. 6. Démuth, A. (2009). Poznanie, vedenie alebo interpretácia? Pusté Úľany: Schola Philosophica. 7. Démuth, A., Démuthová, S. (2019). On the Concept of Self-harm. Proceedings. The International Journal of Arts & Sciences. CD-ROM ISSN: 1944-6934 (forthcoming). 8. Démuthová, S., Václavíková, I. (2019). Rozdiely v motivácii k sebapoškodzovaniu u adolescentov so suicidálnymi pokusmi a bez nich. Kondášové dni 2019. Trnava: FF UCM (forthcoming). 9. Glassman, L. H., Weierich, M. R., Hooley, J. M., Deliberto, T. L., Nock, M. K., (2007). Child maltreatment, non-suicidal self-injury, and the mediating role of self-criticism. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 45(10), 2483-2490. 10. Hicks, K. M., Hinck, S. M. (2008). Concept analysis of self‐mutilation. The Journal of Advanced Nursing. 64(4), 408-413. 11. Hooley, J. M., St. Germain, S., A. (2013). Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Pain, and Self-Criticism: Does Changing Self-Worth Change Pain Endurance in People Who Engage in Self-Injury? Clinical Psychological Science. 2(3), 297-305. 12. Hornby, A., S. (2011). Oxford advanced learner's dictionary of current English / [by] A.S. Hornby; editor Jonathan Crowther. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. 13. Nock, M. K. (2010). Self-Injury. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 6, 339-363. 14. Van Ree, J. M., Niesink, R. J., Van Wolfswinkel, L., Ramsey, N. F., Kornet, M. M., Van Furth, W. R., Vanderschuren, L. J., Gerrits, M. A., Van den Berg, C. L. (2000, September, 29). European Journal of Pharmacology. 405(1-3), 89-101. 15. Van Sell, S., O’Quin, L., Oliphant, , E., Shull, P., Austin, K., Johnston, E., & Nguyen, C. (2005). Help stop self-injury. Modern Medicine, 68(11), 55-59. 16. Wilson, L. (2013). “Starvation and Self-Mutilation in Religious Traditions” Juergensmeyer, M, Kitts, M, Jerryson, M. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence. Oxford: Oxford University Press 242–249. 17. Woldorf G. (2005). Clinical implications of the paradox of deliberate self-injury. Journal Specialist Pediatric Nursing 10, 196–200.