Suicide and self-harm (attempted suicide) are actions taken to inflict death upon oneself. U.S. governmental findings in 2016 list suicide as the 10th leading cause of death and even higher for specific groups (e.g., the second leading cause of death for those 25–34 years of age). The understanding and prevention of suicide and self-harm, as
While the terms suicide and self-harm are often used interchangeably, it is important to be clear that they are conceptually different. Suicide is a self-inflicted act with the intention to cause death, whereas an act of self-harm may be the precedent to an act of suicide, but it can also exist as a concept in
Suicide refers to the act of intentionally taking one’s own life while self-harm is the act of intentionally injuring oneself. Although self-harm such as intentionally cutting oneself can be associated with suicidal ideation, it is also known to be an impulsive behavior used by many as a way of attempting to cope with emotional pain.
Suicide refers to the act of intentionally taking one’s own life. Self-harm is the act of intentionally injuring oneself. Although self-harm, such as intentionally cutting oneself, can be associated with suicidal ideation, it is also known to be an impulsive behavior used by many as a way of attempting to cope with emotional pain. The