ABSTRACT
The chapter offers a systematic description of different forms of direct self-injury: e.g. cutting, burning, scratching, hitting, skin picking, and indirect self-injury defined as behaviour resulting in increased risk of an unintended long-term consequence: e.g. eating disorders, substance abuse, unsafe sex. Additionally the history of changing terminology and classifications related to self-injury is outlined. Finally, digital self-injury and what I have called self-injury by proxy is analyzed. In self-injury by proxy, the patient actively provokes or encourages someone else to inflict the injury on the patient. This may be done either deliberately or subconsciously and may serve the same purpose as NSSI, for example, as a form of affect regulation or self-punishment. Self-injury by proxy is an overlooked phenomenon that plays an important role for some patients.
