“How to Treat Autoaggression Naturally and Safely”

Autoaggression is a pathological model of thinking and behavior aimed at causing harm to oneself. Direct or indirect. It can also be about self-accusations, self-flagellation, persistent, painful self-reflection, that is, about models that do not have a direct behavioral, physical expression. The pathological condition requires mandatory qualified assessment. 

The danger of autoaggression lies in its obviously destructive nature. The person drinks, uses drugs. Suicidal attempts and tendencies are possible, which often end successfully. Professional help is indicated. Patients with autoaggression are examined by psychiatrists and psychotherapists . Depending on the clinical situation and its features. Treatment can be medicinal and psychotherapeutic.

“Chikin Eyegenjy Rudolfoyich Psychotherapist”

Speaking about mental disorders, they can be the primary cause of a person’s pathological condition. Autoaggression in excessive, dangerous to health and types forms often develops in patients with psychoses. At the moment of an acute condition, they do not control their own thinking, actions and can unconsciously harm themselves without intent (it cannot be here, since the person is not in himself, is in an altered state of consciousness, his mind is clouded). Often there are not just deviant, deviating tendencies – direct suicidal attempts. Often successful. Also, a person can make himself disabled under the influence of hallucinatory images (the notorious voices, often have an imperative nature, command, and patients say that they cannot resist) and delusional symptoms. 

According to our estimates, a minimum number of patients resort to self-harm, no more than 10%, provided the disorder is severe. But this is still a lot. Prevention of such socially dangerous behavior is necessary.

Autoaggression often develops in people with a certain personality and character. For example, in supporters of certain practices, religion or ideology. If they force their lives into strict frameworks (for example, vegetarianism, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle), but for some reason cannot follow the principles they decided to follow, this causes internal resistance. The person gets angry with himself and begins to punish himself through various actions. But more often – through negative thoughts. 

Disappointment with one person life plays a main role. Psychological problems develop again, which make behavioral and other patterns of self-destructive behavior possible.

In some cases, autoaggression is demonstrative. A person deliberately harms himself or threatens to do so in order to attract attention. The goals of such behavior may be different. Someone wants to get the attention of others. Others try to force people to do what they want (manipulative component).

Autoaggression can be substitutionary. A person inflicts physical harm on himself to get rid of emotional pain, painful experiences. Some resort to self-harm of one nature or another to cope with stress (hence bulimia, overeating or alcoholism with drug addiction, which many experts consider a variant of escapism, an escape from harsh reality).

Teenagers act unconsciously, within the framework of self-destructive or simply dangerous behavior (tattoos, piercing, dangerous entertainment) for the sake of finding new experience. Often it ends very sadly. And also, in order to meet the requirements of peers, not to cause rejection in that small group of peers to which the teenager belongs. 

There are many reasons. There are some specific features of self-harm, auto-aggression, which are characteristic of people of different ages and genders.

The reasons for auto-aggression in women are the same as in men. But with an emphasis on the psychological aspect, troubles in personal life and an ambivalent attitude towards the role of a woman in society (she must be a mother, an exemplary wife and successful in her career, etc., which many simply cannot do, but still try to follow these unrealistic and simply harmful requirements). Women are much more prone to mental and psychological manifestations of aggression directed at themselves. They engage in persistent self-reflection, self-accusations. Dependencies are encountered, but somewhat less often than in men. 

Men have a slightly different problem, the reasons for auto-aggression are partially different. Society puts pressure on men and makes them convenient, useful, and influences them through stereotypes of a different nature. You have to be patient, not complain, etc. Such demands are no less harmful. Due to the characteristics and expectations of a person, he simply cannot cope with the burden.

But if a woman tries to isolate herself through emotional outbursts and process this experience, men often close in on themselves and start drinking. And this is in the best case. Men, according to statistical estimates, are most prone to auto-aggressive behavior. And the most destructive forms of it. Drug addiction, alcoholism, suicide. Here is a large triad of forms. There are also those that are less common: a large number of piercings, tattoos and other body modifications.

In adolescents, the causes of autoaggression and autoaggressive behavior are different. Behavioral and emotional disorders can be a consequence of upbringing, negative attitudes in the family, constant stress (since the psyche is not yet fully formed, there is no point in talking about any stress resistance at all). It can be feigned, to be one of the company. It can be a way to get new experiences, which everyone strives for in their youth. Basically, autoaggression is impulsive and unstable in its course and manifestations. Therefore, it is relatively easy to correct even with little effort. There are other options.  

In children, autoaggression develops for psychological reasons in about half of the cases. The other half is due to upbringing and the peculiarities of the emotional microclimate in the family. Correction is mandatory and as soon as possible.

Risk factors for the development of pathology

Risk factors are similar to causes, but still different. They concern aspects that increase the likelihood of a pathological condition. 

• hormonal imbalance due to natural factors (puberty, pregnancy, characteristics of a woman’s menstrual cycle);
• age crises, midlife and old age crises create a whole bunch of problems and can lead a person down the path of self-destruction if these crises are processed incorrectly;
• a chronic feeling of guilt can be a personality trait, a character trait, or it can be brought in from outside through neglect, violence, etc., but in any case, it calls into question the very existence of a person, pushing him onto a destructive path;
• some personality and character traits: the inability to understand emotions, express them, the lack of emotional intelligence lead to a lack of understanding of the world and one’s place in it, as a result of which a person is much more likely to commit negative actions;
• outcast, if society does not accept a person, the likelihood of a pathological condition is higher;
• tendency to depression and other mental disorders;
• risk propensity;
• heart failure
• adolescence as such, since it is a period of experimentation, sometimes not the safest;
• addictions in the past (even those that were cured or the person overcame them on their own);
• lack of hobbies, interests, or an outlet that would help relieve stress;
• old age, due to the loss of social connections, contacts and other factors inherent in the period of aging.

And that is not all. Many of the above mentioned moments can be worked through. Independently or under the supervision of a psychologist, psychotherapist. And this needs to be done. Because without high-quality work, even after treatment, the likelihood of recurrence of autoaggressive tendencies will remain.

Types of autoaggression

The classification of autoaggression into forms is carried out depending on the type of action and the direction of self-harming behavior. 

Depending on the direction and form of expression of aggressive behavior.

The following types can be distinguished:

• mental or psychic – as the name suggests, is not manifested by actions, but manifests itself through negative thinking, characterized by self-blame, self-abasement, psychological self-flagellation and excessive, unproductive reflection;
• spiritual, in this case we are talking about alcoholism, drug use, and other addictive disorders (eating disorders such as anorexia also belong to this group);
• social auto-aggression, aimed at eliminating oneself from society and self-isolation;
• physical – direct infliction of bodily harm on oneself: various bites, cuts, bruises and other types of actions.

Important!

You should not underestimate the psychological aspects of autoaggression. Often, forms of disorder, aggression flow into one another. Psychological can develop into physical, etc. To prevent this from happening, you need to get treatment. Work with the root, the source of the problem. It can be anything. Situations can be different. From childhood trauma to stress, dissatisfaction with life and psychological complexes.

Depending on the type of actions, it is necessary to differentiate between overt and covert auto-aggression. The first is obvious. This is the already mentioned self-harm, self-mutilation, etc. Covert auto-aggression is much more difficult to diagnose. It often manifests itself in a tendency to get a lot of tattoos, piercings, extreme sports. To consume substances (cigarettes are also considered). Often a person does not even realize why he acts this way and not differently. To identify the real background of actions, the motives of a certain activity is the job of a psychotherapist.

Symptoms of autoaggression

The clinical picture of autoaggression depends on the person. Many of the manifestations of the pathological condition have already been named earlier. To summarize, among the signs of autoaggression we can highlight:

• overeating, the tendency to eat more than one needs;
• use of psychoactive substances, drugs, nicotine, ethanol, and other toxic compounds;
• scarification;
• getting tattoos (especially a lot of them, all over the body, although this is not a guaranteed manifestation of auto-aggression);
• self-mutilation, physical injury;
• a tendency to engage in risky activities for life and health (for example, parachute jumping, other extreme sports and recreation);
• constant feelings of guilt and self-deprecation.

More complex forms of auto-aggressive behavior are also possible, even more hidden. Some join religious organizations – sects. Others join political organizations. The motives are the same – the actions can be very different. The engine is always the same – causing harm to oneself. Not obvious, then hidden

.

Complications of the disorder

Complications of autoaggression are always dangerous. But in different ways. Mental forms of the pathological condition provoke deep self-doubt, lack of healthy ambitions, and the possibility of personal achievements in various areas. This leads to isolation and severe experiences.

At some point, addiction to drugs, alcohol abuse or taking risks ends in either death or a severely disabled life. If nothing is done. Therefore, autoaggressive behavior should definitely not be ignored. Even the mildest forms of the pathological condition have far-reaching consequences.

Please note!

The severity of autoaggression is always very high. Sometimes it comes to direct self-harm, even suicide. But often a person kills himself slowly, indirectly. When life does not please, but a person does not dare to settle scores with it directly. This is a hidden suicide, it is much more insidious, since those around (and often the person himself) do not understand what is happening. A healthy dose of self-reflection will help. The help of a psychologist is indicated, and in more complex cases – a psychotherapist.

Diagnosis of the disorder

Diagnosis of autoaggression with obvious manifestation of the disorder is not difficult. It often manifests itself through physical injuries of various nature. A group of studies is conducted to clarify the state. Among the methods:

• oral questioning of a person, assessment of complaints about health, symptoms of a pathological condition, mental and psychological problems;
• Collecting anamnesis for a better understanding of the essence & nature of the phenomenon.
• testing using special questionnaires (for example, SMIL, MMIL, and others); in addition to general ones, there are also special scales and methods for diagnosing a tendency toward auto-aggression;
• functional test
• Arrhythmia
• evaluation of a patient’s mental state .

The careful list of educations is gritty by the medic. He also evaluates the results of tests, examinations and draws conclusions. Then prescribes the necessary treatment.

Treatment of auto-aggression

Basically, patients with self-destruction, auto-aggressive behavior and thinking need the help of a psychotherapist. If the situation is even easier and is not pathological – a psychologist. But a competent and experienced one, so as not to harm. In severe cases, only a psychiatrist can safely cope with the disorder (in case of full-fledged psychopathologies). The question remains open. 

If a person has mental disorders, the basis of treatment is medication. Neuroleptics, tranquilizers, antidepressants are used. Autoaggression goes away on its own. If residual signs still remain in remission, psychotherapy is additionally carried out. It is needed to combat negative emotions, triggers of autoaggressive behavior, and to prevent the consequences of the pathological condition. 

If manifestations of autoaggression are personal in nature, related to character, psychotherapy is the basis. The same can be said about external irritants, the influence of external factors. The only change is the process of improvement. Behaviorist, cognitive-behavioral and other approaches are used. The task is to eliminate the basis, the motive for autoaggression. That which does not allow a person to live normally and calmly.

Therapy is carried out individually and in small groups. Often individually first – then collectively, to receive support, further recovery. In record suitcases, behavior takes quite a extended time. You need to be patient.

Prognosis and prevention of autoaggression

Prognosis depends on the form, severity of autoaggression, its manifestations and existing consequences, the moment of the beginning of correction, individual personality traits, character and much more. The situation quickly reaches a dead end. It is almost impossible to cope with the disorder on your own or almost impossible due to underlying causes. With timely correction, the tendency to autoaggression can be eliminated quite quickly. The situation returns to normal. Problems can be handled more easily in childhood and adolescence since the psyche is flexible, adjustable and open to change

Prevention is aimed at preventing the development of autoaggression or a return to old patterns of thinking and behavior . Among the measures:

• increasing awareness;
• development of emotional intelligence and empathy (this is quite possible);
• development of stress resistance, not as the ability to not experience stress, but as the ability to cope with it, to correctly and consciously redirect experiences;
• search for hobbies and interests;
• rational organization of your environment, fewer toxic people, more positive contacts and connections.

If you have some questions, you can check a psychologist or a doctor. They will create an individual prevention program.

Answers to questions

How to deal with auto-aggression?

Autoaggressive behavior must be combated by working through the primary cause of the pathological condition. Personal problems, mental disorders, stress relief and learning relaxation techniques, self-regulation, etc. There is no universal solution and cannot be. The assistance program is developed individually each time, for a specific situation. 

Can auto-aggression go away on its own?

Unlikely. Theoretically, if, for example, the stress factor goes away, this is possible. But if the irritant is persistent and unattainable (for example, it is a person with whom the patient is forced to communicate) – aggression will be redirected. Gradually, such a negative situation will stabilize. The disorder itself no longer occurs. In the best case, it simply does not progress. And even then not always. 

Who should you contact?

When autoaggression develops, it is strongly recommended to consult a psychotherapist. A psychologist does not always help. He is limited in the tools and space for solutions. A psycho-therapist is a full-fledged medical specialist. 

How long does the treatment last?

It is difficult to say. It depends on the type, severity of autoaggressive behavior, personality type, character and other individual factors. For some, several months are enough, for others, even a year is not enough. The probable time frame can be reduced by early contact with a specialist. Advanced cases, for obvious reasons, require much more effort and time for correction.