Psychotic SI - Types of Psychotic SI include the removal or amputation of body parts, such as eyes, limbs, ears, and genitals. These acts of SI are usually done in response to visual or audible hallucinations. This type of SI is severe and is easily identified.
Organic SI - Organic SI usually stems from autistic disorders, developmental disabilities, and other psychologically induced disorders. This type of SI is always influenced by physical or chemical problems in the body. Forms of Organic SI include head-banging and lip-biting.
Typical SI - Typical SI results because of emotional or psychological reasons not related to psychotic (hearing voices, seeing things that aren't there, delusions) or organic (physical) conditions. The majority of the people who SI fall into this catergory. This type of SI is used to make yourself feel better and as a way of coping with your life. The following are the most common ways people hurt themselves.
Cutting - Cutting, also known as slicing or slashing, is the most common way people hurt themselves. It is typically done with a knife, razor blade, piece of glass, or other sharp objects. Most of the cuts are done on the arms, legs, wrists, and chest; but other people cut on other parts of the body such as the stomache, face, neck, breasts, and genitals. But cutting on the arms and wrist is the most common because excuses can be made more easily (for example people can say that they had an accident while cooking).
Burning - Burning is another common way people hurt themselves. Usually done with cigarettes, lighters, matches, kitchen-stove burners, heated objects (branding irons or hot skillets), and burning objects. Sometimes people even use flammable substances such as gasoline, propane, alocohol, and lighter fluid. Similar to cutting, most people burn themselves on their arms, wrists, legs, and chest.
Interferance with the Healing of Wounds - Most people have unconsciously interfered with the healing of a wound but it is considered SI when it is done deliberately. Some people remove stitches prematurely, stick objects such as needles, pins, etc. into the wound, or do other things to reopen the wound.
Hitting - Hitting themselves with their fists is another way that people hurt themselves that is most commonly done on the head or thighs. Although it may not seem as serious as cutting or burning it is done for the same reasons and results.
Extreme Nail Biting - It is common for most people to bite their nails. But when it is used as a form of SI it is more severe and frequent than normal. It can result in the injury and damage of the fingernails or cuticles. People can bite their fingernails so much that they draw blood.
Scratching - Another common thing amongst most people scratching can become a form of SI. People who use it as a method of SI make it more extreme in frequency, intensity, and duration. Area's of skin can become raw or sometimes even bloody. Usually the scratching is done with the fingernails but sometimes it is done with a sharp or semisharp object such as a knife, comb, or pencil. Sometimes it is done unconsciously.
Hair-Pulling - Trichotillomania, "the excessive and recurrent removal of your own hair resulting in a noticeable loss of hair," is the only form of SI recognized as a psychological disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Usually the hair is removed from the scalp, eyebrows, or beard, but can be from any part of the body. The bald spots that result from Trichotillomania are usually covered with a hat, bandage, or sunglasses.
Breaking of bones - A form of SI that is more rare than the others, the breaking of bones is a serious and severe form of SI. Usually, people break their bones with an instrument such as a hammer, brick, or other heavy objects. But sometimes people throw themselves into walls or doors.
Other - There are other ways people hurt themselves that are not listed here. The above are just the most commonly known.