Repetitive Self-Mutilation:

An episodic behavior becomes repetitive when the self-harm behavior becomes an overwhelming preoccupation. The shift from episodic to repetitive behavior is unspecific and may occur anywhere between the 5th and 20th episodes.

Whereas episodic self-mutilation is regarded as a symptom or feature of another mental illness, repetitive self-mutilation is regarded as a separate disorder. This syndrome may begin in early adolescence and persist for many years.

The salient feature of this syndrome is a recurrent failure to resist impulse to harm oneself without conscious suicide intent. Furthermore, the repetitive self-mutilator garners his identity from this disorder and identifies himself as a cutter.

Most Common Behaviors:

-Skin Cutting
-Skin Burning
-Needle Sticking
-Bone Breaking
-Interference with wound healing (i.e. picking at scabs

Treatment:

Among the treatment options discussed on the general treatment page, studies have found promising results from using opiate antagonists to treat repetitive self-mutilation. Opiate antagonists have shown to be particularly effective on this particular type of self-mutilation, and especially effective when used to supplement behavioral interventions. Treatment with Naltraxone has been found to produce a positive response in 50% of patients treated, with an average 30%-50% reduction in self-mutilative behavior.