Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
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This survey is designed for people who have hurt themselves on purpose without wanting to die. Self-injury (also called self-harm or non-suicidal self-injury) is when someone intentionally hurts their body as a way of coping with difficult emotions or situations. Common forms include cutting, burning, scratching, hitting, or other methods of causing physical harm. This survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete and helps you understand patterns and reasons for self-injury. Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. Important note: If you’re thinking about suicide or have thoughts of ending your life, this is not the right survey for you. Please seek immediate help using the crisis resources at the bottom of this page or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 000 if you’re in immediate danger.
Important Disclaimer: This is not a diagnosis – it’s an assessment tool only. Self-injury can be treated and you can recover with proper support. Please discuss your results with a healthcare provider, psychologist, therapist, or trusted adult. If you’re in crisis right now, seek immediate help by calling Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800 if under 25), or visiting your nearest Emergency Department. Your responses are anonymous and confidential.
Self-injury means deliberately hurting yourself without wanting to die. It’s a coping mechanism, though an unhealthy one, that people use to manage overwhelming feelings. Common methods include cutting skin with sharp objects, burning skin with cigarettes or lighters, scratching or picking skin severely until it bleeds, hitting or punching yourself or objects, preventing wounds from healing by picking at them, carving words or symbols into skin, pulling hair out, and biting yourself hard enough to cause injury.
People hurt themselves for various reasons, often to cope with overwhelming emotions they don’t know how to handle, feel something physical when feeling emotionally numb, punish themselves for perceived failures or unworthiness, express pain they can’t put into words, regain a sense of control when life feels chaotic, and distract from emotional pain with physical pain. Self-injury is not attention-seeking behaviour. It’s a sign that someone is struggling deeply and needs compassionate support and professional help.
How to complete this survey:
Answer honestly about your experiences with self-injury over the past year. Think carefully about your behaviour patterns and what drives them. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – this is about understanding your experiences. You can stop at any time if you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed. Some questions may be difficult or triggering, so please take breaks if needed. Take your time and answer as accurately as possible for the most helpful insights.If this survey becomes triggering: Take a break and step away from the screen. Talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling. Use the crisis resources listed at the bottom of this page. You don’t have to finish the survey if you’re not ready – your wellbeing comes first.
Important Disclaimer:
This is an assessment tool only, not a diagnosis. Self-injury can be treated and recovery is possible many people stop self-harming with proper support and healthier coping strategies. Please discuss your results with a healthcare provider, therapist, school counselor, or trusted adult. If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, seek immediate help by calling 988 or 911. All responses are anonymous and confidential.
6. When you hurt yourself, how often is it for each of these reasons? (Rate each: Never / Sometimes / Often / Always)
To cope with feelings:
Communication and control:
Physical and mental states:
13. Has self-injury affected your: (Rate each: Not at all / A little / Quite a bit / Very much)
Your responses help identify patterns in your self-injury behaviour, including how often you self-injure, what triggers the urge, what emotions you’re trying to manage, and whether you’re ready to seek help or make changes.
Emotional regulation: Many people who self-injure are trying to manage overwhelming emotions. Self-injury provides temporary relief but doesn’t address the underlying feelings, creating a cycle that’s hard to break.
Addiction-like patterns: Over time, self-injury can become a habitual response to stress. The temporary relief reinforces the behaviour, making it harder to stop without support and alternative coping strategies.
Shame and secrecy: Most people who self-injure hide it from others due to shame or fear of judgement. This isolation can make the behaviour worse and prevent people from getting help.
Recovery is possible: With proper support, including therapy like Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and learning healthier coping skills, people can and do recover from self-injury. Recovery isn’t always linear – setbacks are normal and part of the healing process.
Self-injury often indicates underlying mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, trauma, or borderline personality disorder. A mental health professional can help you understand what’s driving the behaviour, develop healthier coping strategies, process difficult emotions safely, treat underlying mental health conditions, and support you through recovery without judgement.
Psychological therapies:
Support services:
Medication: While there’s no medication specifically for self-injury, antidepressants or other medications may help treat underlying depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions that contribute to self-injury.
Self-help resources:
If you’re ready to get help, book an appointment with your GP and be honest about your self-injury. They can assess your mental health, provide a Mental Health Care Plan for subsidised psychology sessions, refer you to appropriate services, and check for any physical health concerns from injuries. Remember that GPs are bound by confidentiality (except in situations where there’s risk of serious harm).
For young people under 25, Headspace centres provide free, youth-friendly mental health support without needing a GP referral. School counsellors or university counselling services can also provide initial support and referrals.
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Emergency: 000
Headspace: 1800 650 890
SANE Australia: 1800 187 263
How to respond: Stay calm and don’t panic or overreact when you find out. Listen without judgement and let them talk about their feelings. Don’t focus solely on the self-injury – focus on the underlying pain. Encourage professional help but don’t force it immediately. Offer practical support like helping them find a psychologist. Be patient – recovery takes time and isn’t linear.
What not to say: “Just stop doing it” (self-injury is a complex coping mechanism, not a choice), “You’re doing this for attention” (dismisses genuine pain and struggle), “That’s so stupid” (shames them for their coping method), “Other people have real problems” (invalidates their suffering), or “Show me your arms/legs” (violates their privacy and autonomy).
Supporting recovery: Encourage them to talk to a GP or psychologist, help them find healthy coping strategies without being controlling, be available when they have urges to self-injure, celebrate progress even in small steps, and look after your own mental health too – supporting someone can be emotionally draining.
Resources for supporters: SANE Australia has information for family and friends, ReachOut has resources for parents and carers, and you can call helplines yourself for advice on how to support someone who self-injures.
About Self-Injury: Self-injury affects approximately 1 in 5 Australians at some point in their lives, with the highest rates occurring during adolescence and young adulthood. It’s often associated with difficulties regulating emotions and can occur alongside depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, or borderline personality disorder. Research shows that with appropriate treatment, particularly Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), most people can successfully stop self-injuring and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Important disclaimer: This survey is an assessment tool, not a diagnostic instrument. It cannot replace professional evaluation by a qualified mental health provider. If you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide or are in immediate danger, seek emergency help by calling 000, Lifeline (13 11 14), or visiting your nearest Emergency Department. Self-injury is treatable and recovery is possible with proper support. This tool is for informational purposes only. We do not store personal health information and comply with Australian Privacy Principles.