How common is NSSI?

 

There are many myths about NSSI, including that only teenage girls self-injure. The Australian National Epidemiological Study of Self-Injury (ANESSI), the world’s largest study of NSSI, found that 9.4% of children (10-17 years), 19.3% of young adults (18-24 years), and 28.1% of adults (25-100 years) have self-injured at least once.

 

More recent studies suggest 18% of adolescents and 13% of young adults self-injure at least once in their lifetime - rates that have remained relatively stable over the last 5-10 years.

 

People can self-injure at any age, but most people usually start to self-injure between the ages of 12 and 14 years. Some people will only self-injure once, while others will continue to self-injure for a number of years.

 

NSSI is equally common among males and females, however males and females typically use different methods to injure themselves.