| The professional literature provides abundant | | | | activity and the environment; including social, physical, |
| evidence that individual with autism exhibits a myriad | | | | and psychological.The two major sets of theories set |
| of uncommon form of social interaction, | | | | forth to explain why people engage in self-injury are |
| communication, and behavioral pattern that often | | | | physiological and sociological. However, I strongly |
| present major challenges to their families and | | | | support the inclusion of a psychological theory to the |
| professional providers. However, there is a noticeable | | | | mix.The psychological connection is especially relevant |
| shortage of quality research targeting self-injurious | | | | to some individuals with autism or learning disabilities. |
| behavior in respect to people with learning | | | | It is widely recognized that this population is often |
| difficulties.One of the reasons that self-harming | | | | limited in means of verbal communication. Therefore, |
| behavior remains largely an enigma is that when | | | | individuals with autism or learning disabilities may rely |
| useful studies are done or appropriate theories | | | | on non-verbal means of expressing their emotions. |
| developed they, too often, remain within a single | | | | This means of expression is very important if the |
| domain such as mental health; and their broader | | | | emotional pain represents a re-stimulation of past |
| application is not investigated. Therefore, a separate | | | | hurts; such as physical, sexual, or psychological abuse. |
| bodies of literature that consider the causes of | | | | In such case, self-harm may represent the best |
| self-harm for a particular group like people with | | | | attempt to assuage the of past abuse, neglect, and |
| learning difficulties are over due.The term learning | | | | other trauma.The psychological approach call our |
| disability is used to refer to sociobiological conditions | | | | attention to many common themes that are the |
| that affect a persons communicative capacities and | | | | driving force behind many individuals who used |
| potential to learn.Someone with a learning disability | | | | self-injurious behavior as a means of expression. It |
| does not necessarily have low or high intelligence, it | | | | cannot be purely coincidental that many of the same |
| just means this individual is working far below their | | | | themes are reported by people who had been |
| ability due to a processing disorder, such as auditory | | | | abused by someone in authority. These themes can |
| processing or visual processing.After three decades | | | | be understood as "messages" that the individual |
| of active research interest a clear and useful | | | | either reinforces internally or wishes to share with |
| definition for self-harm remains elusive. In fact, the | | | | caregivers and professionalsIn a service-based |
| search for understanding is the foundation of this | | | | environment, for example, individuals may feel that |
| complex phenomena that has been so absorbing to | | | | they have is very little control over what happens to |
| both researchers and practitioners. A wide definition | | | | them. Self-injurious activities may provide the only |
| would include the following: an intentional, self-directed | | | | opportunity of self-control in a very personal manner; |
| act to destroy, disfigure or impair the appearance or | | | | this can be very attractive when there is limited |
| function of some body part while inflicting pain; the | | | | option for verbal expression. Also it is quite normal |
| act does not include suicidal ideation.The language of | | | | that as tension and stress mount people will seek |
| self-harm presents a profound insight into how it is | | | | ways to release the pressure. Individuals who use |
| understood in society. For example, individuals who | | | | self-harm, to express emotions, find this method |
| self-harm are, too often, called "self-cutters" The | | | | very effective, especially if it results in the flow of |
| problem is that people become defined by their | | | | blood. For instance, if the psychological, physical, or |
| self-harming behavior, perhaps eclipsing other more | | | | emotional pain is too difficult to bear ... or the origin of |
| validating defining labels, such as communication, | | | | the abuse is unclear...it may be desirable to focus on |
| oppression and abuse as the driving force behind | | | | deliberate self-inflicted pain that is controlled by the |
| self-harming activities; especially among individuals | | | | individual.It is broadly accepted that people with low |
| with learning difficulties.According to recent research, | | | | self-esteem tends to engage in self-injurious behavior |
| self-harming is the most self-destructive behavior | | | | more often than the general public. For example, if |
| exhibited by people with learning difficulties. The most | | | | the internalized person is worthless there may be a |
| common these activities are head-banging, | | | | desire "damage" the external image so that it mirrors |
| hand-biting, excessive self-rubbing, and scratching. | | | | worthlessness felt inside. Individuals with autism or |
| Both individuals in general and individuals with learning | | | | learning disabilities who are often devalued, by |
| difficulties engage in self-harming activities for many | | | | society, and experience prejudice and personal |
| different reasons. However, the contributing factor | | | | rejections from the environment this would be a |
| for self-destructive behavior is often physiological, | | | | likely consequences of internalized oppression.It is |
| sociological, environmental, and psychological.The | | | | true for most individuals with developmental |
| negative effect of many of the labels used to | | | | disabilities a variety of functions are served |
| describe self-harming behavior indicates that | | | | simultaneously by self-harm in a manner that is |
| self-harming is perceived in our culture as socially | | | | described as self-help. Viewed in this manner, |
| unacceptable. Therefore, it is not always treated with | | | | self-harming behavior can be seen both as |
| compassion and understanding; and it may also be a | | | | communicative and functionally adaptive as well. This, |
| source of guilt and shame to the individual who use | | | | however, raises the possibility that is self-harm |
| this form of expression.Studies had shown that the | | | | represents an intended message than accurate |
| type of self-harming behavior engaged in act to | | | | reading of the message will diminish the need for |
| reduced or relieved a specific form of anxiety. For | | | | self-injurious behavior, which is the goal of |
| example, hand-biting may be a reaction to frustration, | | | | treatment.Clearly, self-harm would not be the |
| excessive scratching could be a means of | | | | communication medium of choice for all individuals |
| self-stimulation, and head-banging or ear-hitting may | | | | with autism or developmental disabilities, but this |
| be the result of middle ear infection. Some | | | | approach may represent a last effort to focus |
| self-injurious behavior may be the result of | | | | attention on some past or present unmet needs.The |
| heightened-arousal, such behavior acts as a release | | | | relationship between communication and self-harming |
| that lowers the arousal state. Self-injury could be a | | | | behavior suggest that self-harm can be a "scream" |
| form of self-stimulatory behavior that is repetitive, | | | | without sound. Many individuals with developmental |
| ritualistic that provide the individual with some type | | | | disabilities have limited means of self-expression, in |
| of sensory stimulation.From a sociological perspective, | | | | which case, self-harm is a convenient language.Finally, |
| an with learning difficulties may engage in self-harming | | | | the exact relationship between self-injurious behavior |
| activities to obtain attention from the environment. | | | | and abuse is individualized and complex. However, to |
| Often people with learning difficulties may engage in | | | | explicitly ignore or implicitly dismiss self-harming |
| self-harming behaviors to avoid or escape unpleasant | | | | activities as just part of the syndrome is to ignore |
| task. Research literature also suggests the possibility | | | | the true "message" of self-injurious behavior which |
| that self-harming activities may be related to | | | | may, in fact, become the ultimate abuse.Dr. Smith is a |
| hypersensitivity to sounds in the environment. If, for | | | | psychotherapist and personal consultant with over 30 |
| instance, a disturbing sound bothers an individual with | | | | years experience working with individuals and groups. |
| learning difficulties he/she my communicates the | | | | Dr. Smith specializes in working with Adult Children of |
| discomfort by hitting one's head or ears.The role of | | | | Alcoholics, Survivors of Incest, Childhood Sexual |
| professional educators and caretakers is to conduct | | | | Trauma, Survivors of Rape, and individuals |
| functional analysis to develop a complete description | | | | experiencing symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, |
| of the individual's self-harming activities and determine | | | | Relationship Concerns, and Symptoms related to |
| a possible cause and effect relationship between the | | | | Cigarette Addiction. Dr. |