ABSTRACT
The term self-destructive behaviour is at once nebulous and provocative. For example, being late for work or school and raising blood-pressure and stress levels could be seen as self-destructive, as could the more obvious problem of developing a drug habit. The term also conjures images of adolescent rebellion, and often it does begin in adolescence. This chapter links emotional deprivation—which can include neglect as well as over-identification by the parent with the child—in childhood with a tendency in adolescence towards employing self-destructive strategies to cope with difficult emotional experiences. Adolescence is a confusing time of experimentation and testing boundaries, so it is not unusual for teenagers to engage in activities that might be seen by the adults around them as risky. Giving acted rather than spoken messages—often about anger and disappointment—is also a common feature of adolescence.
