Treatment:

Treatment for self-mutilating patients takes a number of different forms. A combination of treatments may provide the most effective manner to treat this disease. A variety of treatments are described below:

Self-Help Books:
Psychologists such as Dr. Alderman publish books with exercises designed to help self-mutilators overcome the need to harm. The books involve writing exercises that help them understand why they injure themselves and the results of their behavior, such as scarring and social isolation. The people are asked to consider their motivation to self-mutilate, and its positive and negative consequences.

Medical Treatment:
Effective medical treatment should involve a combination of psychotherapy and possibly medication. An effective therapist will help an individual identify the feelings and emotions associated with self-mutilation. Furthermore, therapy should focus on learning to use positive behaviors as an alternative to self-mutilation.
Although there is no specific drug of choice to treat self-mutilation, medications that alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sleep-impairment are often popular. Preliminary research has found decreased serotonergic activity in self-mutilators, and hence selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine and sertraline are often used.

SAFE Program:
Self-Abuse Finally Ends is a program located in Berwyn, Illinois. SAFE involves self-mutilators enrolling themselves in the program, and adhering to several ground rules.

Patients:
-must have a "heartfelt motivation to stop"
-have the right to voluntarily withdraw at any time
-must sign a "no-self-harm contract" before being admitted to the program
-are discouraged from exhibiting or discussing scars with other patients to prevent contagion
-must refer to their behavior as self-injury to control "war stories"
-must complete written assignments that focus on the negative consequences of self-injury and the benefits of staying free of self-harm
-are expected to develop and practice at least five alternatives to self-mutilation

Imagery
A new therapy uses psychophysiological responses to an image or memory of an event to simulate responses experienced during the actual execution of self-mutilation. The content of guided imagery has been demonstrated to effect the psychophysiological response. Through imagery, people can experience the relief of self-mutilation without actually performing the act on themselves.