Psychodynamic therapy of self-injurious behavior

According to psychodynamic understanding self-injurious behavior can be unconsciously determined in multifarious ways. It is not only intrapsychically effective like a drug for compensation of deficient ego functions but also as neurotic compromise formation in intersystemic conflicts. Simultaneously it is a possibility for narcissistic reparation. Interpersonally it is effective particularly as an introduction of projective identification of incompatible self-components for self-relief. The symptom becomes effective when other attempts fail in an overload situation to counteract a threatening ego fragmentation. At different times patients exhibiting self-injurious behavior have motivated therapists from different schools to very similar therapeutic strategies.