This is a great site for anyone who wants to learn about self-abuse. This site offers useful information about what self-injury involves, its causes, treatments, bill of rights, and personal stories. The site is user-friendly.

This site offers basic, easy to read information about self-harm. A definition, who injures and why is presented. There are links to other resources, personal stories and book titles related to self-injury. User-friendly.

There is a general overview on this site of self-abuse. There are tons of links and books that you can reference for more information. The site is easy to navigate.

[Their aim is] to give hope, help and healing to children facing crisis. KidsPeace provides help and information whether you need a hand, or are willing to lend a hand. This article offers general information about self-injury and what you can do to help. Other articles relate self-injurious behavior to conditions such as substance abuse, eating disorders, and mental health issues. Treatment and recovery information is provided.

On this site, when you click on a certain section, a series of questions will appear. You can choose any question and read the answer. Somewhat user-friendly. This information is presented as a general overview to the topic of self-abuse and other forms of abuse.

This fact sheet is meant to give you a quick idea of what self-abuse is, its causes, warning signs and ways to prevent or treat self-injury. Other resources are listed for more information. If you enter ‘self-injury’ into the search field, several articles will come up.

This is a great site that offers a lot of information on self-harm. Friends and family can get help as well as the person who is self-injuring. The site is user-friendly; it’s broken down into categories related to self-injury. There are interactive components that may be useful to self-injurers and their loved ones.

Favazza, A.R., (1996) Bodies Under Siege: Self-Mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
There is a lot of research and information provided in this book. It looks at various forms of self-injury, including cutting, body piercing and tattooing. Some reviewers of the book don’t see their body piercing as self-mutilation and find the ‘body modification’ section closed-minded. Others felt it went deeper than the usual books on cutting which they enjoyed.

Focus Adolescent Services
877-FOCUS-AS (362-8727)
For parents who wish to help their troubled teens. Find assistance with how to go about intervening when teens are engaging in self-destructive behaviors. Also get information on private schools and residential programs for troubled pre-teens, teens, and young adults.

KidsPeace Intensive Residential Treatment Program
Dr. Annita B. Jones
800-25-PEACE
This is a national organization specializing in youth crisis intervention. There are several different treatment programs at KidsPeace. The intensive program is more individualized and for those who need extra educational, medical and activity supervision. There are less intense in and outpatient programs as well at KidsPeace.

National Mental Health Association
2001 North Beauregard Street, 12th floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
703-684-7722
800-969-NMHA – Mental Health Resource Center
800-433-5959
This organization offers referrals to support groups, treatment centers, and national organizations that deal with self-injury and related conditions. Brochures and fact sheets can be found on their website.

SAFE (Self-Abuse Finally Ends) Alternatives
7115 W North Avenue, Suite 319
Oak Park, IL 60302
800-DON’T-CUT (366-8288) – Information Line
This organization provides information on self-injury and offers referrals to other specialists who deal with self-harm. There is also an in-patient program that offers treatments for the self-abuse and related conditions.

SLS Health
2502 Carmel Avenue, Suite 210
Brewster, NY 10509
888-8-CARE-4-U
This organization offers in-depth research and information about self-injury. The site is user-friendly. Information on definitions, treatments, causes, and warning signs are given.

Miller, D., (1994) Women Who Hurt Themselves: A Book of Hope and Understanding. New York: Harper Collins Publishing, Inc.
This book explores the consequences of female childhood trauma. After not feeling protected as a child or feeling detached from everything, these women grew up without the proper methods to deal with their inner pain. This pain was expressed in self-abusive ways such as eating disorders, compulsive plastic surgery, substance abuse, and/or other self-injurious behaviors. Miller labels these behaviors as “trauma reenactment syndrome”.