Deliberate self-harm, self-injury, self-mutilation, self-wounding, and para-suicide are all words used to describe behaviour that consists of deliberate injury inflicted by a person to their own body without the intent of suicide. The phenomenon behind deliberate self-harm is misunderstood because it is a behaviour which defies the human desire to avoid pain. In the case of individuals who self-injure, pain is the goal and is seen as a physical cure for an emotional problem.

The human kind is well known for doing things that aren't good for them and that may harm them. Where does one draw lines of whether one type of self-injury is socially accepted, while others are not? An easy line to draw is that of deliberate, immediate physical harm being done. For example, cutting ones arm or hitting oneself with a hammer are clearly self-injurious acts. Things like overeating, smoking, not exercising, and using drugs are harmful to a person in the long run but immediate physical damage is not the desired effect of the behaviours.

The magnitude of the problem is not known because most cases of deliberate self-harm go unreported. The estimated number of individuals who self-harm is between 1% and 4% of the entire population.

The act of deliberate self-harm knows neither age nor gender. According to hospital reports, there are more women than men who self-harm and this act is more prevalent among young individuals.

Being labelled as manipulative and attention seeking
Individuals who self harm are silent sufferers and most often do not reveal their behaviour because they are ashamed of it. These individuals are not oblivious; they are aware of social norms and the fact that deliberate self-harm is unacceptable. They do not wish to expose their shameful behaviour and therefore do no seek attention from others. Self-injuring rituals are most commonly done in private, away from family and friends, to hide this behaviour. Deliberate self-harm is more a way of communicating and easing pain.

Believing that deliberate self-harm is a failed suicide attempt
It is not a suicide attempt, but a way of dealing with an emotional issue the person is experiencing. Suicide is a way to not cope at all. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, while self-injury is a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

Believing that all self-injurers are female
Historically, there has been a false belief that self-injurers are always female. Males are more likely to engage in self-harming behaviour during preadolescence, while females are more likely to do so at around age fifteen.

Believing that scars from self-injury are always visible
Individuals who self-harm are ashamed of their doings and therefore cover up the evidence by either wearing long sleeves or injuring in areas usually not exposed to the public. There are many different ways a person self-harms, and thus it is difficult to pinpoint scars as being from self-inflicted injuries.