Asperger's and Self-Injury

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I posted on here about being diagnosed with Asperger's, a little bit ago. It's kind of a relief, because it means my brain works differently from other peoples', and I might be able to take advantage of that knowledge while learning about how to be better at schoolwork and such. I've been failing lately; and knowing how I think can probably help me learn the study skills I'm lacking (at least I hope so; I'm awfully optimistic, and how I hope my optimism isn't unfounded!).

Anyway, I have a problem with cutting--injuring myself to deal with feelings (generally scratches or shallow cuts--nothing actually dangerous). Mostly, it makes me feel "in control" and changes bad emotions into physical pain, which is easier to handle. Simply put, it's a coping mechanism I use to avoid dealing with things. I'm trying to stop, because it's obvious that if I'm injuring myself in order to feel better, then I'm not handling my feelings efficiently!

My question here, though, is if there might be a connection between being an Aspie (or having autism or another PDD) and self-injury; and whether there are any factors that change how you might learn to stop needing SI if you have Asperger's.

See, I'm trying to stop; but I often end up doing it anyway (with the intervals between such episodes, thankfully, lengthening); and I wonder: If Asperger's changes the way I look at the world, can I take advantage of knowing how Asperger's affects me and somehow use that knowledge to better resist the temptation to hurt myself--and, better yet, to figure out why I do, and to find a healthy substitute? And if I can, how?

I would think there is a connection between the Autism Sp. and self injurous behavior because of the difficulties with feelings.
I involuntarily do it a lot in melt downs,overload,when routine has been suddenly changed etc-bashing head on wall,punching walls,scratching flesh off leg/arm...


I do know of a few widely used...things? [can't think of another word to use],that is recommended by the pysch. profession-get an elastic band,put it around wrist,pull it tight and let it go-- in replacement of the cutting.
Putting hand in ice cold water is supposed to work as well.

I kind of had a scary episode the other day when I was hitting myself with an object on my head because I slept through something, and I was disspointed in myself. I've never had an episode like that before this, and I don't want to do it again; I also plan on having more self-control over myself, since I also bashed a small hole in my wall from hitting it. I hate it when I'm in a rage; I think that episodes like that (for me atleast) are caused by gradual things that I just let sit for awhile, and then they pressurize, and then explode inside of me, much like a shaken up bottle of baking soda and vinegar. I feel kind of bad for abusing myself, since (as a Christian) I believe that God made me and I believe he doesn't want me to abuse my body, and I'm not afraid to say (as a human of course) that I broke that principle that God set. Anyways, I think it would be excellent to find an alternative to cutting yourself, or to make it stop altogether, since it can hurt you in the long run and you'll have many scars left on your body. You could try using your emotions and try doing something constructive, like going running, crushing old cans, and things like that I'd reccomend. I don't think I'd reccomend cutting yourself or hurting yourself to make you feel more "in control" or something, because in the end, emotions come back despite all the physical pain that you may feel, because they don't heal the same as physical injury or pain does. You should try unwinding, or in other words using fun to make you forget stress (an alternative for hurting yourself), or maybe talk to a special someone about your pain to let out some of your emotions to not let them sit like I did. Anyways, I hope that you find what you're looking for.

Some people do it I'm told because there is a release of endorphins (the feel good chemicals from the brain) after they have purposely injured themselves and they feel a lot better. I have tried this myself and it didn't work. Maybe because I am depressed and I have a chemical imbalance in my brain...heh. I used to injure myself when I was younger and I was angry at myself by banging my head and punching things. That was before I knew anything about autism. I really can't say it did me any good then, either.
In the future I hope not to injure myself anymore but I can't control myself sometimes when I am angry. All my logical thoughts go out the window.

I never cut myself for that reason but I do some of the blunt force things like punching my leg in a cetain spot till it feels just right not really pain just a feeling like an itch. I have a rather high pain threshold and dont realy notice most bruises in the shower it's name that bruise mostly I cant figure out where it came from.

I was diagnosed with OCD and for quite a few years I washed my hands with really hot water. My hands would be just raw and yet I would keep washing them. I agree about the endorphin (or whatever it's called) part because I would get a rush from it. I've thought about that as a reason before because I would do it without any regard for thinking that my hands were unclean or anything. I try not to do any unneccesary handwashing now but I think my hands are scarred from it.

There isn't.

I don't think it has anything to do with AS personally. I've seen it more with people who are in a depressive state. Sometimes the depression is so bad that people say they feel no emotion, or anything for that matter. They cut to know that they can still feel, to many to feel pain is better than to feel nothing. There are probably many other reasons for different people, but I've seen this type of reasoning most often.

but isn't depression highly prevalent in people with AS?

Here is an interesting article discussing reasons for self injurious behavior: http://www.autism.org/sibpaper.html

Regarding the link to the article: " The most common forms of these behaviors include: head-banging, hand-biting, and excessive self-rubbing and scratching. "

Regarding the fact that many people with AS do have secondary diagnoses of anxiety disorder and depression, that's true from what I've seen and read. My son and I have been treated for both.

One interesting article:
Self-cutting is today's equivalent of anorexia and bulimia, Dr. Alan J. Ravitz said at the annual conference of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry.

This behavior is a form of affect regulation; patients resort to it when they feel that they are about to undergo psychic disorganization.

There is no specific diagnosis associated with self-mutilation. The behavior occurs among patients with borderline personality disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and various types of psychosis.

For these patients, self-cutting induces an almost immediate sense of relief from an intolerable psychological experience, said Dr. Ravitz of the University of Chicago.

No one knows precisely how self-mutilation leads to the relief of unbearable anxiety, anger, or sadness, but biologic mechanisms may be involved. Intense pain leads to an outpouring of various neurochemicals into the central nervous system that can effect synaptic modifications and induce a different pattern of electrical activity, he said.

The behavior is not only maladaptive but also self-reinforcing. Like any addictive behavior, the intensity and frequency of the behavior must increase continually for release to be achieved. (end of article)

I've mostly seen it in teens personally, and most are not on the autistic spectrum. The cutting that I'm referring to leaves scars all along the insides of the arms usually, but some cut in other places. As I said earlier, there are different reasons for different people but most that I have come in contact with have been in a major depression. Just my humble opinion.

What the hell is the point in that. My mom is an ass and she involves everyone else in something like that. She injuries her self in trouble she causes but its on a unconsciencous level . She will used word to abuse people to distract form depression. I figured this out and what do you know I am right. I hate blood it makes me sick to look at it. How would you become that desperate to do that? Blood letting is too obivious. You must be getting to many endorphins from this that is messed up.

Given your limited description of your mother, I believe her self-injury may be due to borderline personality disorder. Unlike most self-injury, people with BPD will sometimes hurt themselves in public and/or in order to manipulate others. Most people who self-injure do not use it to "get attention"; in fact, it is usually a very secret, shameful thing for them. I personally did not tell anyone for about ten years; only after I was hospitalized for depression did it become known among my friends. For me, SI is a very private thing; the only person who knows about it if I hurt myself is my counselor; and then only when I answer his direct questions about it. Most people are like me in that respect; they would prefer not to have others know, and are usually quite ashamed of having such a bad habit.

Why would you become desperate enough to do that... Well, first of all, it isn't so "desperate" as it seems; most of the time, the injuries are very superficial, no worse than the scratches you might get from an angry cat (in fact, that's very much what they look like, and cats are often blamed for SI injuries--I've used that excuse myself). The one time I injured myself badly enough to need stitches was due to my hand slipping, causing an unintentially severe wound. Many people do things which are much more dangerous and "desperate" to cope with emotional pain: Drinking, drugs, driving fast... Self-injury, for the most part, is safer than any of those options.

Endorphins are really only part of it; it's more of the "distraction" effect that seems to work for me. In the human brain, emotional distress seems to take second place to physical distress; this makes sense, because a physical problem will kill you much more quickly than something emotional, and humans are built to survive. Therefore, when the body is physically hurt, the brain turns from negative emotions and focuses on the injury. Naturally, the relief is small and very temporary; but that's why this is called a "maladaptive coping mechanism"--it doesn't work very well.

(Logically, the solution is to find coping mechanisms which are healthy. I'm currently working on this, and making progress.)

A lot of people who injure themselves are trying to deal with emotions they don't know how else to deal with. It's a matter of wanting to control yourself and your emotions, and not really knowing how to deal with emotions very well. Some people are afraid that their emotions may become out of control and lead to a downward spiral ending in suicide; so they injure themselves as a last-ditch effort to survive.

One of the reasons I thought there might be an Aspie connection is that because, while I have emotions, I've always had a rather hard time showing anything beyond amusement and sadness (so that anger, frustration, and even happiness are hard to express and rather confusing); and SI is, at its heart, a desperate effort to deal with emotions one has a hard time handling.

Callista. I'm happy that you have support and someone to help you develop more positive coping skills. It's a huge step to be able to share this with others, that seems to be one of the hardest things to do...and a very positive step. It's kept secret by too many people and it's very common, so hopefully this may help someone just by your speaking out.

Good luck.

Maybe I should start. I am sick of my brains message they are going to kill me it so exhuasting. I wish for the harrassment to stop so I can move on with my life. I would do that but because I get sick at the sight of blood I can;t. I wish I could get over that so I could give it payback. I already do it I rub to hard with the shaver and end up
with red marks. I can;t get some hairs and it triggers other stuff I sick and tired so its like and that.

i kinda have that too... i don't cut or anything like that, i just scratch incessantly to the point where my body thinks it's normal to break out in hives on its own. i know there's also some weird bacterial thing in my blood, which we're working on getting rid of, but it's just so ANNOYING. i used to love my legs, but i don't anymore. i've got little red spots all over them, luckily most of them are healing, but i'm scared to wear shorts to track and wear skirts (I still do sometimes). and with the summer coming i'm worried about people noticing my blotchy legs. i'm really scared about this summer; i feel like a lot of people who cut go through the same thing.

i don't do it much anymore, but my body has just become so used to my skin being blotchy that it's been doing it on its own and not so much with my help anymore. i'm just trying to make it go away before i'm shipped off to my fashion program this summer. i feel like i could stop it i just don't know how. i'm on an antibiotic, i've been using really harsh soaps which are supposed to help (and they do), but it's been taking a toll on my really dry sensitive skin, and i just hope it works in the long run.

i think it's a result of being sick a lot, stress, unhealthy diets, and being depressed (it's better now though: college is looking up, i'm going shopping soon and my friends are amazing). it just pisses me off that the dermatologists are stressing over something i could have prevented in the first place. i agree with aspiegirl, running really helps. so does playing an instrument, doing something artistic like a painting or drawing, or just doing something to release endorphins and make you feel happy. not self-mutilation. that leaves scars and can cause a lot of problems, more being judged by others than necessary. i also heard if you're a cutter that if you put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it whenever you wanna cut that it helps. pain just feels good, i dunno. i hope we can all get through it!