Abstract
Self-injury is a behavior that has long been stigmatized both by the treatment community and the community at large. It is this attitude that often delays or prevents those who engage in self-injury from seeking treatment. There are limited studies of self-injurious behaviors and of those, very few that discuss the impact of stigma on this population. This study seeks to explore the effect of stigma on those who self-injure using a qualitative approach. Eight clinical professionals were interviewed and their insights into their clients who self-injure were discussed. Six themes were identified as a result of these interviews: adolescence as age of onset, peer influence as a contributing factor, comparison to addictive/compulsive behaviors, secrecy and feelings of alienation, and therapists’ feelings of responsibility for self-injurious clients.