Is Self-Harm Addictive? What Research is Telling Us.
- Journey Towards Wellness Psychotherapy
- Jun 1
- 5 min read
Self-harm is often deeply misunderstood, both by society and by the people struggling with it themselves. Many individuals who engage in self-harming behaviours describe feeling shame, confusion, or frustration about the difficulties in stopping the behaviour. While self-harm is most commonly a way of coping with overwhelming emotional pain, emerging research suggests that repetitive self-injury can also develop patterns that closely resemble addiction.
Understanding the emotional, psychological, and biological factors involved in self-harm can help reduce stigma and encourage more compassionate conversations about healing and support.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, help is available. In Canada, you can call or text 9-8-8 to connect with the Suicide Crisis Helpline anytime, day or night. If your safety is at immediate risk, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Reaching out for support is a courageous step, and you do not have to navigate this alone. |
Self-Harm as Addictive - What We Know
There is growing research suggesting that self-harm behaviours, including cutting, can become addictive in nature for some individuals. While self-harm is not officially classified as an addiction in diagnostic manuals, researchers have identified many similarities between repetitive self-injury and addictive behaviours.
Research has found that self-harm can begin to follow a repetitive cycle that may resemble addictive behaviours. Some of the common patterns researchers have identified include:
Experiencing strong emotional urges or distress before self-harming
Feeling temporary relief, calm, emotional release, or reduced numbness afterward
Finding that the behaviour becomes more frequent or severe over time
Struggling to stop the behaviour, even when wanting to quit
Repeating the behaviour during times of stress, overwhelm, or emotional pain
Understanding the Cycle: Self-Harm and the Brain
For many, the act of self-harm—specifically cutting—is a deeply misunderstood struggle, often shrouded in silence and stigma. However, emerging neurobiological research suggests that for some, these behaviours function less like a choice and more like a chemical dependency. When the body experiences physical pain, the brain releases a surge of endogenous opioids and dopamine to manage the trauma, inadvertently creating a "relief cycle" that mirrors the pathways of addiction. Recognizing self-harm as a potentially addictive behaviour is a vital step in shifting the conversation from judgment to clinical understanding. While this cycle can feel unbreakable, it is not a journey anyone has to navigate alone. Professional therapy offers a transformative space to deconstruct these urges, providing individuals with the psychological tools and emotional scaffolding needed to find healthier ways to heal.
Researchers believe the brain’s natural reward and pain-relief systems may play a role in reinforcing the behaviour. Studies suggest that self-harm can trigger the release of endorphins and other neurochemicals that temporarily reduce emotional distress. Because the relief can feel immediate and powerful, the brain may begin to associate self-harm with coping, increasing the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated in the future.
Looking Beneath the Behaviour
It is important to understand that self-harm is most often rooted in emotional pain rather than attention-seeking or manipulation. Many people use self-injury as a way to manage overwhelming emotions, cope with trauma, express internal distress, regain a sense of control, or feel something when emotionally numb.
Not everyone who self-harms experiences the behaviour as addictive. However, research increasingly supports the idea that repetitive self-harm can become compulsive and reinforcement-driven, especially when it becomes a person’s primary coping strategy for emotional regulation.
Understanding self-harm through both a mental health and behavioural reinforcement lens may help reduce stigma and encourage more compassionate, effective support approaches focused on emotional regulation, coping skills, and underlying distress.
Support, Understanding, and the Path Forward
If you or someone you care about struggles with self-harm, it is important to remember that these behaviours usually develop as a response to emotional distress, not as a sign of weakness or attention-seeking. Healing often begins with understanding the purpose the behaviour has been serving and learning safer, healthier ways to cope with difficult emotions. Recovery is possible, and support from mental health professionals, trusted supports, and compassionate relationships can make a meaningful difference. Conversations rooted in empathy, education, and understanding help create space for people to seek help without fear of judgment.
Mental Health Support Resources (Canada)
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Find A Helpline is a website with a searchable database to find specific support for your province, age group, or specific concern (i.e. eating disorders, depression, abuse, etc.).
Dial 2-1-1 to reach 211 Canada and get connected with community, social, and health resources in your local area.
Service | Contact Information | Details |
Suicide Crisis Helpline | Call or Text: 9-8-8 | National, 24/7 bilingual support for anyone thinking about suicide or in emotional distress. |
Kids Help Phone | Call: 1-800-668-6868 Text: CONNECT to 686868 | Professional counseling and volunteer-led text support for youth and young adults. |
Hope for Wellness | Immediate mental health counseling and crisis intervention for all Indigenous people across Canada. | |
Wellness Together Canada | Call: 1-866-585-0445 (Adults) Call: 1-888-668-6810 (Youth) | Free online portal providing 24/7 access to professional counseling and self-guided resources. |
Crisis Text Line | Text: HOME to 741741 | Confidential text-based crisis support powered by trained volunteers. |
Trans Lifeline | Call: 1-877-330-6366 | Peer support for transgender people in crisis, run by trans people. |
Further Reading
The following research informed the ideas discussed in this article and is provided for readers who want to explore further.
Andover, M. S., & Morris, B. W. (2014). Expanding and clarifying the role of emotion regulation in nonsuicidal self-injury. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(11), 569–575.
Edmondson, A. J., Brennan, C. A., & House, A. O. (2016). Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: A systematic review of self-reported accounts. Journal of Affective Disorders, 191, 109–117.
Faye, M., & Nixon, M. K. (2016). The addictive characteristics of non-suicidal self-injury. Current Addiction Reports, 3, 517–526.
Franklin, J. C., Hessel, E. T., & Prinstein, M. J. (2011). Clarifying the role of pain tolerance in suicidal capability. Psychiatry Research, 189(3), 362–367.
Gratz, K. L. (2003). Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 192–205.
Klonsky, E. D. (2007). The functions of deliberate self-injury: A review of the evidence. Clinical Psychology Review, 27(2), 226–239.
Nock, M. K. (2009). Why do people hurt themselves? New insights into the nature and functions of self-injury. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(2), 78–83.
Sher, L., Stanley, B. H., & Mann, J. J. (2008). The neurobiology of suicide and self-injurious behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews, 33, 208–226.
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