The victim you know may self harm because one or more of these reasons:

• Self harm may be a release of deep emotional pain or overwhelming emotions that usually can't be verbally expressed.

• Chemicals called endorphins are released from the pituitary gland when there is physical pain. They help relieve pain and calm the victim down, often causing a feeling of euphoria and relief for the victim.

• The victim may feel out of control of everything going on in their life, so to feel in control of at least their own body and their body's pain, they hurt themselves.

• The victim may use self harm to distract themselves from what is going on in their life, or from what emotional or mental pain they are going through. Often times they feel as if physical pain is better than their emotional pain.

• The victim may feel emotionally numb because of everything that has been happening to them. They may believe that they can't feel anything anymore, or they become unsure they are even alive anymore, which leads to self harm, and assurance that they are alive and they can still feel something.

•  Self injury may also be done out of self loathing or it may be a way of punishing ones self because of something they have already done.