2019 Volume 60 Issue 2 Pages 158-168
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as deliberately, superficially and directly injuring oneʼs own body with nonsuicidal intent, such as for reducing emotional distress, communicating with or manipulating others. Although this behavior had been considered a symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD) up to DSM-IV-TR, it has come to be recognized as a deviated behavior independent of BPD since the DSM-5. This transition represents change in the therapeutic concept, making NSSI a direct target of treatment, more than merely an element in “limit setting.”
This paper reviews the historical changes in NSSI conceptions, discussed in association with addiction, suicide, and the strengths and weaknesses of the DSM-5 nonsuicidal self-injury category.
