James Donaldson on Mental Health - The Silent Crisis of Suicide and Self-Harm

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-harm refers to the deliberate infliction of injury on oneself through actions such as damaging body tissue, ingesting toxic substances, or engaging in other harmful, non-habitual behaviors.

Research increasingly suggests that self-harm and interpersonal violence are linked through a complex, bidirectional relationship: individuals who engage in deliberate self-harm may face a heightened risk of committing violence against others, while survivors of violence are more likely to direct aggression toward themselves.

Yet despite these correlations, the relationship between self-harm and violence remains insufficiently studied.

Violence itself can be categorized according to the relationship between victim and perpetrator, whether intimate or non-intimate, and by the nature of the act, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.

Self-harm, meanwhile, encompasses behaviors associated with both suicidal and non-suicidal intent.

It has emerged as one of the leading risk factors for suicide and a growing public health concern, particularly among young people worldwide.

Studies have shown that some individuals who self-harm also exhibit violent behavior toward others, raising questions about the social, psychological, and environmental factors that shape both forms of harm.

Poverty, exposure to violence, substance abuse, family instability, and untreated mental health conditions are among the recurring risk factors identified across global research.

Globally, violence and self-inflicted injuries impose a profound human and economic toll.

Beyond the immediate physical consequences, they contribute to long-term psychological trauma, disability, and diminished social and economic productivity.