Self-administered acupuncture can reduce the frequency of self-injury and reduce emotional distress for patients who regularly engage in deliberate self-harm (DSH). In a small feasibility study carried out in the UK, ten adult patients who regularly self-harmed were taught self-acupuncture by an acupuncturist. Participants then recorded their emotional distress, coping behaviours, thoughts and feelings in a diary over a six-week period. The results showed that the subjects used acupuncture regularly during the six-week intervention and that over this period there was a reduction in the frequency of DSH. Depression scores showed a near significant reduction (from 44.4. to 34.4) over the study period. (Self-administered acupuncture as an alternative to deliberate self-harm: a feasibility study. J Pers Disord. 2011 Dec;25(6):741-54).
Categories: Psychological / emotional
