Asperger's and Self-Harm (Self-Mutilation)

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I do hope that this is an appropriate topic, if not then it can be removed.

I am wondering if there is a larger number of people with Asperger's who self-mutilate out of depression and other pressing emotions, more so than regular people. I want to know if there are members on this board that have ever engaged in this activity and what caused it. Depression or is it from the AS?

Thanks,

Weather

I don't do it myself, but I know other people on here do.
It's probably depression with a lot of people, but I think AS can cause it as well.
I sometimes bite myself because of anxiety or sensory things. Or I hit myself on the head etc. Those are more to do with AS than depression, so I guess it might be similar for people who self-harm? I dunno, I'm too tired to think straight,, sorry.

No I just get mad at the AS and to a lesser extent myself
though never hurt myself

It’s a symptom of ASD, nothing more; nothing less. I've deduced enough reasons for why I induce the blood drops and charred skin; they're inclusive and exclusive; independant, dependant and co-dependent.

The pros (or prose) tell me it’s a symptom of the disorder.

I don't think it's intrinsic to AS itself, but a lifetime of being bullied can create depression etc. - I think they call it comorbid.

Well as a result of having AS and living in an NT world, it is easier to get depression and thus from that depression and the lack being able to adequately express it to others, self harm can occur.

For a few years now I have been depress and like last month I realized that I had AS which makes alot of confusing things in my life make alot of sense. And when I get really frusterated I would scratch my face or pull out my hair or something. The hair pulling became compulsive and earlier in the year I found out that hair pulling can be considered self harm. But I when really frustrated I would hit my head with my fists or a book. Or I would purposly see how long I could stop eating. I'm not anorexic but when I am really depressed I don't want to eat anything.

Sometimes I slap myself across the face, dig my nails into my arm, or hit myself on the head over and over again with a book or whatever's handy. Usually I do it because it helps me think but sometimes I do it because I'm mad at myself.

On that note, this thread needs some lightening up, and I think you'll all enjoy this lovely video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GAkRF4QBKew

I used to self-harm while I was still living with my parents, last year. I used to wack myself in the head with coffee cups, bite into the flesh of my hand, until it bled and I once slammed my fingers into the door after my mum told me not to feel sorry for myself, one day, last summer. There was blood running down my fingers. I used to self harm, because I felt that my parents were still trying to control my life, at the age of 31, which was the age that I was, last year.

I've been living on my own, since early November. Not once have I've abused myself, since I've been living on my own, unless overeating counts as self-abuse.

I bit and clawed my arms out of frustration or overload when I was a kid. Haven't done it as an adult, but I still have the urge to claw sometimes, out of pure frustration when I'm having trouble communicating strong emotions. I keep my nails cut extremely short as a precaution. I've never self-harmed out of depression, though.

I have a similar thing. I have been diagnosed with depression as well as AS and I have self-harmed when I've been really depressed.
I do think that it is connected to AS too as I can self harm due to sensory issues and frustration and inability to express or manage a particular emotion. So maybe self-harming is something I use as an extreme stim?? I don't really know.
It particularly happens when I get 'emotional overload' and there are just too many 'feelings' in my head and I can't manage or make sense of them all so harming and causing physical pain is the only way that I can distract myself from this and 'diffuse' the emotional overload.

I hope this makes sense.

There's the reason if you're not suffering from depression as well; during a severe “meltdown” due to the environment being too overwhelming for me, I pull my nails off completely..., I hardly feel it at all. I cut, burn and pick too. It relieves anxiety caused by the sensory overload and the frustrations from having an ASD.

Not everyone self-harms; some people rock, some people walk on their toes or some people do the billion other things those with an ASD do to help them cope.

once i kept my hands under hot running water to see how long i can hold. is that it? they were red after...

I used to bang my head, I remember. I still do when I feel really overwhelmed and frustrated.
I forget the name of it, but some autistic people self-harm not to hurt themselves, but to relieve themselves from sensory issues. I forget the name of the form, damnit.

I self harm sometimes. Always cutting. (I don't mind burning, but I don't like hitting myself at all. Too uncontrolled for my tastes, I suppose.)

I don't know if I'm depressed or not - I know I was for a time last winter, but I don't think I am anymore. Cutting's just something that makes me feel better and keep me calmer. Usually I only do it for two reasons: I'm feeling suicidal or I'm disassociating. (I've discovered that some pain can snap me out of it.)

Yes, that's the main reason I do it. But sometimes when I'm anxious as well, ie. before an exam I'll bit my hands and I used to scratch myself with a pen in school.

I never thought hitting or scratching were self harms, I do that . I usually scratch my face and my arms. It doesn't mark perminately, and I sometimes make it look like one of the animals did it. That doesn't work as well in summer...
I hit myself sometimes, usually banging my head against something or just hitting my face.
I never do it badly though(as in mutilate) but I have thought about that and had urges to do it..
I don't know if people with depression and AS do it more then people with depression or AS.