Neurodivergent Individuals and Self-Harm
- Sally Panks
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
Neurodivergent individuals often self-harm more than neurotypical people due to a complex mix of neurological, emotional, sensory, and social factors. Approximately 47% of neurodivergent individuals self-harm.
Below is a breakdown of why this is more common among neurodivergent populations:
🔹 1.
Emotional Dysregulation
Many neurodivergent people, especially those with ADHD, autism, and bipolar disorder, struggle to regulate intense emotions.
Self-harm may act as a coping mechanism to release emotional pressure, calm anxiety, or gain a sense of control.
In ADHD, impulsivity combined with emotional overwhelm can lead to more reactive self-harming behaviors.
🔹 2.
Sensory Overload or Underload
Individuals with autism or sensory processing disorder may experience extreme sensory input. Sounds, lights, textures are physically painful or overwhelming.
Self-harm can be used to regulate sensory input (e.g., to “reset” or refocus attention from unbearable sensations).
Others may use pain to feel something during a state of sensory “underwhelm” (hyposensitivity).
🔹 3.
Masking and Burnout
Especially common in autistic individuals, masking (pretending to be neurotypical) leads to chronic stress, identity confusion, and emotional exhaustion.
This internal pressure can build over time and lead to mental health crises or self-harming behaviors as an outlet.
🔹 4.
Social Isolation & Rejection
Many neurodivergent people face bullying, loneliness, or lack of understanding from peers, teachers, or family.
Feelings of not belonging, being “broken,” or being constantly misunderstood can fuel low self-worth, depression, and eventually self-harm.
🔹 5.
Alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions)
Common in autism, alexithymia makes it hard to recognize and articulate feelings.
When emotions build up without a clear way to express them, self-injury may become a physical expression of inner distress.
🔹 6.
Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions
High rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD in neurodivergent people can contribute to self-harm.
In some cases, neurodivergence is missed or misdiagnosed, and symptoms worsen without proper support.
🔹 7.
Need for Control
Life can feel unpredictable or chaotic for neurodivergent individuals.
Self-harm may offer a sense of control over one’s body in a world that feels out of control.
🔹 8.
Lack of Coping Tools or Support
Many neurodivergent individuals don’t receive appropriate emotional education or support.
Without healthy coping strategies, self-harm may become the only known relief from distress.
Early intervention and dedicated support can significantly reduce the risk of self harm. Equipping individuals with safer coping strategies and practical tools, like a distraction kit, can promote healthier alternatives and interrupt the cycle of self harm.
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