Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal: Criteria differentiation

Abstract

There are 2 types of basic self-destructive behavior: suicide and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Currently, more and more researchers point out significant disorders which are NSSI behavior. This phenomenon is not new; NSSI seemingly has always been present in society, and certainly in approx. 10% of the population worldwide in recent times. Despite the enormous scale of the phenomenon, so far it has been overlooked and marginalized. They were considered transient behavior, typical of adolescence, a part of youthful rebellion. Current research indicates that the disorder affects the adult population in almost equal measure. It is only in the latest diagnostic classification - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5) by American Psychiatric Association - that has considered NSSI a separate class of behavior. Up to now, it was classified as a prelude to suicide or an element of personality disorders. NSSI is more commonly associated with disturbing behavior and suicide attempts.

Keywords: non-suicidal self-injury; suicide; suicide attempt.