Sections
Excerpt
Self-harm and suicidality are hallmark symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in both adolescents and adults (Table 5–1), bringing attention to the possibility of a BPD diagnosis. Although self-harm, or nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), is not unique to BPD (Table 5–2), its presence in adolescence may be an early sign of the disorder, especially if it is recurrent (Ghinea et al. 2019). The average age of onset of NSSI for individuals with BPD is 13 years, significantly earlier than in those without the diagnosis (Groschwitz et al. 2015). One in three adults with BPD report first self-injuring before age 13 (Zanarini et al. 2006). Patients engage in NSSI to decrease negative emotions, to handle dissociative experiences, or to punish themselves (Sadeh et al. 2014). There is no intention to die. However, the presence of NSSI significantly increases the risk of suicide attempts (Scott et al. 2015). Self-injury may be associated with abnormalities in the areas of the brain implicated in pain processing, which in turn may diminish fear of more severe self-injury through habituation (Reitz et al. 2015; Schmahl et al. 2006). Over time, this pattern lowers the inhibitions against suicide attempts (Hamza et al. 2012; Nock et al. 2006).
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
