Does anyone else harm themselves?

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I am not judging anyone. I am not depressed but there are times when I have a meltdown or I feel so guilty if I do something wrong or upset someone I hit myself (usually arms and sometimes a head slap) to the point that I get very large bruises. I also sometimes bite my fingers lightly if I get stressed.

It is not unusual for someone to inflict upon themselves something uncomfortable or painful as a result of intense emotions. The historical occurrence of people using sackcloth and ashes is often associated with the intense grief people can experience.

One might expect that Aspergers neurological variant resulting from a more complex, sensitive, or faster neurology would also amplify the intensity of emotions such that things other than grief might also compel one to such acts.

The management of reactive emotional intensity can be challenging. With anger, taking time to calm down or use physical activity such as taking a walk can be helpful. If one is propelled by emotional intensity to take physical action, it might be useful to substitute an alternative action such as exercise, tearing pieces of paper, or wringing a towel.

Attempting to apply management techniques to existing habits may take some practice as alternatives may be attempted in the midst of established reactions and only slowly come to be a more complete substitute.

I sometimes bang my head against the wall (though I lessen the impact).

I also hit myself on the head.

This is when I'm frustrated.

I used to hit my head or face during rage outbursts, but since I've been on antidepressants I've been more able to control the way I deal with frustration and I don't feel the need to hit myself. But I think I got the hitting my head thing from my (NT) mother. I never hit myself as a young child, and when I was a teenager I saw my mum slap herself in the face when frustrated (she had a lot to be frustrated about at the time). So after that, I started hitting myself in the face or head when frustrated.

I used to, and I still feel the urge. Risperidone helped quite a bit.