Study indicates incidents of self-injury may be on the rise.

In the first article in a short series on self-injury, the Los Angeles Times (12/8, Roan) reports, “Self-inflicted injuries appear to be on the rise, with some young people actually embedding objects in their skin. Stress may be a factor.” But, “even more disturbing than” the “X-rays and accompanying report” presented at a radiology meeting, “could be the size and pervasiveness of the trend from which it derives — self-injury.” Some experts “say that 15…to 22 percent of all adolescents and young adults have intentionally injured themselves at least once in their lifetimes,” and a recent “study of 94 girls, ages 10 to 14, found that 56 percent had hurt themselves at least once.” Research also indicates “the behavior may be building among adults, as well,” because “one study found that one percent of adults self-injure.” Consequently, “at least two committees” working on the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual “are addressing self-injury for inclusion in the text.”
        In a separate article, the Los Angeles Times (12/8, Roan) discusses people who may be prone to self-injury. For instance, experts say that “the behavior is more common among people with previous traumatic experience, such as sexual abuse.” Self-injury is also more prevalent “among people with post-traumatic stress disorder, military personnel returning from combat, and people who are incarcerated.” Most self-injurers (70 percent) are female, and the “average age at which self-injury begins is 15.” To date, “at least 18 forms of self-injury have been recorded in medical literature, including cutting, burning, ripping, scratching, rubbing skin with glass or objects, preventing wounds from healing, pulling out hair, breaking bones, putting acid on skin, and mutilating genitals.”
        Therapists hopeful insurers will provide coverage for the disorder. The Los Angeles Times (12/8, Roan) reports, “Even one incident of self-injury should not be ignored by the people who spot it.” Therapists who deal with self-injury “are hopeful that the disorder will receive a name and a definition in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders because, as of now, treatment is not covered by insurance. To receive reimbursement for treatment, many therapists classify the patient as having another disorder, such as depression or borderline personality disorder.”

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