Self-Harm Treatment Centers
Medically Reviewed
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Thompson
Last Updated on:
January 23, 2025
Begin Mental Health Treatment in Nashville
At our self-harm treatment center, we provide comprehensive, evidence-based care in a safe and supportive environment.
Our experienced team of mental health professionals specializes in helping individuals develop healthy coping mechanisms and break free from self-harming behaviors.
At Arbor Wellness, our mental health treatment programs can help you or a loved one find help from self-harm or self-injurious behaviors.
What is Self-Harm?
Self-harm refers to the intentional infliction of pain or damage on one’s own body. This behavior is often referred to by several other terms, including self-mutilation, self-injury, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).
Self-harm can take many forms, such as the following:
- Cutting, scratching or burning one’s skin
- Hitting one’s head, arms, or other body parts against walls or other hard objects
- Inserting needles or other objects underneath one’s skin
- Repeatedly punching oneself
- Forcing oneself to exercise excessively
- Pulling out one’s hair
As indicated by the term non-suicidal self-injury, people who harm themselves in the ways listed above are not trying to end their own lives.
However, accidental death is a potential effect of self-harm. Also, people who currently engage in self-harming behaviors may have an increased risk of developing suicidal ideation. This underscores the need for effective self-harm treatment.
You are not alone. You deserve to get help.
Arbor Wellness is an industry leader in mental health treatment. Our team of top medical experts specialize in dual diagnosis treatment and are committed to ensuring that each patient is treated as an individual. Call us today, we’re available 24/7.
What Does A Self-Harm Treatment Center Do?
The specific elements of someone’s personalized self-harm treatment plan can be influenced by several factors, such as their age, how long they have been self-harming, if they are also struggling with addiction or a mental health disorder, and what type of program they are participating in.
Arbor Wellness offers self-harm treatment at three levels:
Residential Treatment
Our residential treatment program provides comprehensive 24/7 care in a structured, supportive environment.
Residents receive daily individual therapy, participate in group counseling sessions, and engage in skill-building workshops focused on emotional regulation and healthy coping strategies. Our dedicated team provides constant supervision, crisis intervention, and medical monitoring to ensure safety while working through underlying challenges.- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
The Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) offers intensive treatment while allowing clients to maintain connections with their home environment.
Clients attend structured programming for 5-6 hours daily, participating in individual and group therapy sessions. This level of care includes focused work on developing coping mechanisms and safety planning, with strong emphasis on family education and support to create a stable foundation for recovery.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides flexible treatment options for individuals ready to transition to a lower level of care or those who need support while maintaining work or school commitments.
The program includes 3-4 hours of treatment, 3-5 days per week, combining therapy sessions and skill-building groups. IOP focuses on strengthening coping abilities and gradually building independence while maintaining consistent support and safety planning.
Some people receive self-harm treatment at only one of these levels, while others take part in two or all three.
There is no single “right” way to treat self-harm. At Arbor Wellness, we determine the best path for each person by assessing their needs and reviewing their short- and long-term goals.
Why Do People Self-Harm?
Self-harm is a maladaptive response to distressing feelings or difficult situations. Sometimes self-harm is related to anxiety, depression, or another mental health disorder, but this is not always the case.
People who purposefully hurt themselves may be doing so for reasons such as the following:
- They want to exert control over at least one part of their life.
- They are punishing themselves for a perceived failure, flaw, or shortcoming.
- They have become emotionally numb, and they are forcing themselves to feel something.
- They are trying to process or distract themselves from emotional pain.
- They feel the compulsion to do so, but they don’t know why.
Identifying the reason or reasons why a person engages in this behavior is an important part of a self-harm treatment center.
Once a person understands the circumstances that can trigger the urge to self-harm, they can adopt healthier ways of responding.
Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harm Behavior
People who engage in self-harm often go to great lengths to hide evidence of their behavior.
However, if someone you care about is struggling with self-harm, you may notice signs and symptoms such as the following:
- Frequent injuries
- Cuts and bruises that never seem to heal
- Always wearing long sleeves and long pants, even in warm weather