The Link Between Eating Disorders and Self-Mutilation

January 11, 2021 • Posted in:

According to recent statistics, about 25 percent of people with eating disorders also engage in some form of self-mutilation, self-injury or self-harm.

Self-mutilation, also known as self-harm or self-injury, is the act of intentionally harming one’s own body through cutting, burning, hair-pulling or a wide range of behaviors that inflict damage. Self-mutilation is common among people suffering from eating disorders. According to recent statistics, about 25 percent of people with eating disorders also engage in some form of self-mutilation, self-injury or self-harm.

For many, self-mutilation is a way to respond to or alleviate intense emotional feelings, often the result of some kind of trauma or stress. Those who self-mutilate externalize injuries in order to express what they’re feeling on the inside.

In order to recover from self-mutilation, it’s important to find a healthy way to counter strong feelings such as journal writing, talking with family or friends or meditating.

If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder and self-mutilation, A Place of Hope can help. Our eating disorder treatment program focuses on the whole person to foster recovery from the inside-out. To find out more about our recovery programs, please contact us today.

Dr. Gregory Jantz

Pioneering Whole Person Care over thirty years ago, Dr. Gregory Jantz is an innovator in the treatment of mental health. He is a best-selling author of over 45 books, and a go-to media authority on behavioral health afflictions, appearing on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and CNN. Dr. Jantz leads a team of world-class, licensed, and...

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