self-harm

American  

[self-hahrm] / ˈsɛlfˈhɑrm /

noun

1. Formerly self-mutilation.  Also called self-injury.  deliberate nonsuicidal injury to one’s own body tissue, as cutting or burning the skin, or pulling out hair, in a physical manifestation of emotional distress.

   Self-harm, eating disorders, and substance abuse were reported among victims of bullying.

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verb (used without object)

1. to hurt oneself deliberately, without suicidal intention, as a physical manifestation of emotional distress.

   I self-harm to release the anxiety, but then I feel so much shame that I have to self-harm again to relieve that.

self-harm British  

noun

1. the practice of cutting or otherwise wounding oneself, usually considered as indicating psychological disturbance

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Other Word Forms

• self-harming noun

Etymology

Origin of self-harm

First recorded in 1610–20 self-harm for def. 1 and in 1940–45 self-harm for def. 2; self- ( def. ) + harm ( def. )

Example Sentences

Iran has never imposed a complete blockage of the strait, and doing so would inflict enormous self-harm: it would cut off China, which imports more than 80% of Iran’s oil exports and far more from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf beyond that.

From Barron's

Iran has never imposed a complete blockage of the strait, and doing so would inflict enormous self-harm: it would cut off China, which imports more than 80% of Iran’s oil exports and far more from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf beyond that.

From Barron's

Instagram, which has more than 3 billion monthly active users, said that most teens don’t search for suicide or self-harm content on Instagram.

From Los Angeles Times

Meta says the alerts to parents about their child searching for suicide and self-harm material within a short space of time on Instagram will also be accompanied by expert resources to help them navigate difficult conversations with their child.

From BBC

Sam Altman, the head of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, said this year that the way chatbots respond to conversations related to self-harm is among the company's most difficult problems.

From BBC