When self-injury is suspected, it is likely a symptom of another mental disorder. Therefore, people suspected of self-injury will be given a complete psychological evaluation. This evaluation is performed by a licensed mental health professional and should include a mental status examination and medical history.

A physical examination will also be performed, with emphasis on any areas of the body where self-injury has occurred.

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, a treatment plan will be designed. During treatment, the  mental health professional will attempt to identify and assess the following:

• What function self-injury serves for the person doing it
• The intent behind past self-injury
• Thoughts that contribute to self-injury
• Intended or unintended consequences that reinforce self-injury

Treatment will vary depending on which, if any, other disorders are present, but may include:

• Medication. A number of different medications have been utilized for the disorders associated with self-injurious behavior.  These include antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers.
  
  
• Psychotherapy. Communication with a therapist about thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviors either in a one-on-one, family or group setting. The goal is to help people identify any possible underlying cause of their self-injury.
  
  
• Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Therapy that addresses a person’s thoughts in relation to their actions. The goal is to help self-injurers to understand and manage their self-destructive thoughts and behaviors. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of CBT that focuses on coping skills, managing emotional trauma and tolerating distress.
  
  
• Interpersonal therapy (IPT). Therapy that focuses on human relationships. The goal is to help self-injurers develop better social skills to decrease the likelihood of emotional and physical isolation from others.
  
  
• Contracts, journals, behavior logs. These tools track thought and behavior patterns and can help the self-injurer regain self-control.

Self-injurers may also find comfort and support from various Internet sites dedicated to the issue. However, it is important to note that although many of these sites provide outlets for support and address ways to treat and prevent self-injurious behaviors, some sites actually reinforce the practice.  

Whether or not to hospitalize an individual who engages in self-injury should be carefully evaluated. Friends, family, teachers and physicians are sometimes shocked when they discover self-injury and seek to immediately hospitalize the person to prevent further self-harm. However, hospitalizing a person immediately after an episode of self-injury may come at a time when the patient is actually feeling well and is less likely to engage in additional self-harm.

Before making the decision to hospitalize, it is important to identify whether the behavior was an act of nonsuicidal self-injury or an actual suicide attempt. A comprehensive mental health evaluation is needed to help make this determination.