title: Understanding those who self-mutilate.
abstract: Self-mutilating behavior is a symptom seen in both men and women with various psychiatric disorders, but the majority of those who self-mutilate are women with borderline personality disorder. This complex, maladaptive behavior is used by clients as a means of self-preservation and emotion regulation, and is often associated with childhood trauma. Clients who self-mutilate perceive they receive poor care in hospital emergency departments and are retraumatized by these experiences. Clinicians who understand the complexity and purposes of self-mutilating behavior are better able to provide clients with supportive, empathetic care.
authors.affiliation: North Central Human Services, Gardner, Massachusetts, USA. starrd48@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dianne Lindley
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Starr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000451:nursing; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000592:standards; D012649:Self Concept; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health