The act of SMB is not considered to be a diagnosis contained within the DSM-IV classification but instead is a symptom of an underlying mental illness.
According to Favazza’s (1998) classification, SMB can be divided into 3 distinctive categories:
Major self-mutilation involves amputation (the rarest forms and most commonly associated with major psycho-pathology such as schizophrenia)
Steriotypic self-mutilation is commonly seen in people with autism, mental retardation and some organic conditions such as Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome.
Superficial self mutilation:
Compulsive SM-
Such as nail biting, skin picking and hair pulling, commonly occurring in anxiety and psychotic disorders.
Episodic SM-
Such as skin cutting, skin carving and skin burning.They occur with a large number of Axis I and Axis II psychiatric disorders.
Repetitive SM-
Occurs when self-injury becomes the standard response of an individual to cerain psychological states such as anxiety and stress.Often these individuals are referred to as ‘cutters’, ‘slashers’ or burners’ despite the fact that they use more than one method of SM.(Swadi,2004)
