Self-Injury Awareness Day 2023 Date: History, Significance, and More
Self-Injury Awareness Day 2023 is celebrated on Wednesday, 1 March.
advertisement
Self-Injury Awareness Day is observed every year on 1 March. The day is celebrated to create awareness among people about the harmful effects of self-harm.
Self-injury or self-harm is a serious and often misunderstood behaviour that involves intentionally harming one's own body. Self-injury includes cutting, burning, scratching, hitting, hair pulling, and more.
People often see self-injury as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions or to feel a sense of control over their lives. However, it is a wrong perception, self-injury is a dangerous behaviour that can lead to serious physical and emotional harm.
Individuals who engage themselves in the act of self-injury must seek professional help and support.
When Is Self-Injury Awareness Day 2023?
Self-Injury Awareness Day is celebrated every year on 1 March. This year Self-Awareness Day 2023 falls on Wednesday, 1 March 2023.
History of Self-Injury Awareness Day
The history of self-injury awareness is dated back to the late 1800s when French psychiatrist Philippe Pinel first documented cases of some psychiatric patients with a tendency of self-injury.
In the early 20th century, self-injury was declared as one of the symptoms of mental illness, and treatment often involved institutionalisation and medication.
Self-injury began to be distinguished as a distinct behaviour in 1970s and 1980s and was studied more extensively. In 1990, self-injury awareness gained momentum, especially among health care professionals and researchers.
In 1995, the first International Conference on Self-Mutilation was held. In 1997, the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury was founded. Currently, large number of organisations and advocacy groups are available to assist and aware people who are present symptoms of self-injury behavior.
Significance of Self-Injury Awareness Day
The significance of self-injury awareness day is to help individuals who are involved in self-injury behavior and do not feel confident enough to seek professional help. The purpose of celebrating this day is to assist the people with mental illness and self-harm, and reduce the stigma associated with this behavior so that people are comfortable enough to seek help and support.
Self-injury awareness is critical for promoting prevention efforts. By understanding the risk factors and warning signs associated with self-injury, individuals, and healthcare providers can take steps to prevent self-injury before it even happens.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)