Terminology *possible SI trigger*

[Tomorrowwillcome]

In discussions Self harm to myself stress release

[Sugar and Spice]

I think self harm refers to anything that causes harm to the individual (e.g. smoking etc) whereas self injury is more specifically the deliberate act of harming oneself (e.g. cutting, burning etc).

[Popple]

I don't really say either that often but when I am talking like properly about it and not in relation to myself I say self harm although I have found myself saying it occasionaly just because I didn't know how to put it and it sound right

[Animad]

I use Self Harm and always have done. Part of it is that it is the more common term than Self Injury. I also usually refer to it as SH rather than SI, even on here

[roseanne]

I have used both, but most often I say self harm.

I agree with ashleigh07 and amialone, I really don't like self mutilation although I'm not sure why.

[GhostDude306]

it depends on what im talking about as they are different things

[Ami]

i hate hate hate self mutilation..

i dont cut to mutilate myself fs!

[ThinkingofRecovery]

I also hate the term self mutilation and besides, it can't cover my ODs (which are currently a form of self harm as opposed to intentional sui attempt). As you can see, I use the term self harm rather than self injury.

['LlyC]

I say self-abuse actually...

[Glowsticks]

I use "self harm" in conversations (in the rare ones that i have about it) and "SI" when being lazy and abbreviating it, "SH" and "Self injury" are just kind of awkward things to say..
I don't think i've really heard anyone use self mutilation for it before, it's such an ugly term and i don't feel it expresses what i do..
E.
x

[Netsirkylime]

Well I usually just use cut... because that's just what I do. I actually just started using self harm but I use self injury on this site...

[popcorn]

I do use both, although I generally prefer self-injury. And I have heard self-harm described as the 'umbrella term' which can include all kinds of behaviors that hurt oneself. And I dislike the older 'self-mutilation,' which sounds, yeah, gruesome, and like the point is to disfigure yourself, which isn't generally true for me. And I have long abbreviated self-injury as SI to myself, but then I learned that mental health professionals generally use SI to stand for 'suicidal ideation' so I've shifted some to SH/self harm to avoid that confusion.

[Angel_Girl]

self harm

There's a difference between these terms though... There was an article on v2 once. I think it was about how self harm is an umbrella term for all ways of hurting one's self, and self-injury was another word for cutting. I THINK. But don't kill me if I'm wrong. Ask Harley, he should know.

[one_step_closer]

I clicked the wrong option! I say self harm.

[dancingirl]

I say self harm. I don't know what it is about the word, but I don't like saying self injury.

[ERADicator]

I actually say I cut myself. I use the abbreviations on here but never "self harm" or "self injury" in full.

[surprising mystery]

I say both, but usually write SH as an abreviation, and sometimes SI in texts. I hate the term self mutilation as well, it sounds grusome and vampy or something :/

[Stress Free Anxiety]

Both - I picked up saying self harm from here though =] I also use random terms depending on my mood/who I'm talking to.

Quote:

I find Self Injury to be more of an American Term for some reason
Don't know why, just feels american

*giggles* I think I just proved your point, as I'm American.

[akita]

i say cut free or i cut myself.

[Tig]

I say self harm.