self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: 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-mutilation

self-harm intransitive verb

self-harmed; self-harming; self-harms

teenagers who self-harm

Examples of self-harm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There have been no reports of self-harm nor any violence toward prison staff. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024

At the time, department spokesman Kyle Kaminski gave no direct response, saying the agency focuses on mental health screening and staff are trained to identify signs of potential self-harm. —Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2024

Earlier in 2024, a teenager in Florida was an avid user of roleplaying chatbots and confided thoughts of self-harm to the AI before his suicide, according to reporting from The New York Times. —Reece Rogers, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024

Despite using parental controls to limit the amount of time her daughter spent on social media apps, Hinks said her daughter was still served content about eating disorders and self-harm. —Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

self-harm

noun

ˌself-ˈhärm 

: the act of purposely hurting oneself (as by cutting or burning the skin) as an emotional coping mechanism