Definition of self-harm
: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism
Although most cutters are young women who have been emotionally, sexually, or physically abused as children, [Marilee] Strong's research shows that this specific type of self-harm also appears in other groups.— Maria Simson et al.
— called also self-injury, self-multilation
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Time Traveler for self-harm
The first known use of self-harm was in 1983
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