FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK
FACTSHEET
Self-harm
Self-harm (Deliberate
Self-Harm, DSE) is defined as intentionally injuring your own
body without suicidal intent, most commonly by cutting, hitting or burning.
Although previously considered to be associated with severe mental
illnesses, the rate of self-harm behavior is now known to be more common among
the general population and seems to be increasing in younger generations. A
recent study found that about one third of college students have engaged in
some form of self-harm behavior in their lifetime. It has generally been
suggested that self-harm is related to childhood abuse but some studies have
not found that link.
From our point of view, self-harm is just one of many similar childhood
problems such as head-banging, restless legs syndrome and asthma that have
increased since the 1970s. In our experience, self-harm can be a side-effect of
both medications and food chemicals and can improve dramatically on the
elimination diet.
Effects of medications
In 2003, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) set up an expert panel to review the safety and efficacy of
antidepressants such as Prozac (known as selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors or SSRIs), starting with their use in
under-18s. By December, it had banned all the SSRIs
except Prozac for this age group, citing poor evidence of efficacy and a raised
risk of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
From the Medical Journals
Klonsky ED, Oltmanns TF, Turkheimer E.
Deliberate self-harm in a nonclinical population:
prevalence and psychological correlates. Am J Psychiatry 2003;160(8):1501-8.
free full text at www.pubmed.com
for an overview of self-harm
There are no reports in the medical literature of a link between
self-harm and food intolerance.
[455] Diet diary of a six
year old self-harmer (September 2006)
My 6 ½ year old son, Tim (not his real name) is
currently undergoing investigation of mixed depressive disorder with anxiety
and obsessive ruminations. We have used failsafe in the past with one of our
other children, but had not ever thought of foods being linked to Tim’s mood
problems. When you mention a “gifted and depressed” child at your recent talk
my ears immediately pricked up and took note. Tim has been identified as highly
gifted and everyone has been saying that is the cause of his problems but I
have always felt there was something else underlying that was contributing. We
will be contacting our GP today and hopefully starting the elimination diet as
soon as possible.
2 weeks later…
Just wanted to let you know, we are all amazed at our son's improvement
over the last two weeks. I have been in contact with the dietitian you recommended, she is lovely and very supportive. We will be
starting the "proper" 3 week elimination diet on the weekend after
the school camp (couldn't manage that one!) But I wanted to tell you also that
even my GP has taken to your book for herself and her family. She is raving
about it!
2 months later …
Since starting the elimination diet Tim has not self harmed once! He is
much calmer and has noticed this in himself. He no longer seems to be as
restless and has been falling asleep easily at a reasonable time in the
evenings. We started with the salicylate challenge this week and there seemed
to be no reaction, until day 5/6 when we started to notice his behaviour was
getting worse. We will stop this challenge tonight and wait to try some other
groups. His GP and Clinical Psychologist are both thrilled with the change as
well! …
One week later ….
After I emailed you we finally had the BIG reaction we were looking for.
It happened on Day 7 of the salicylate challenge - we had already stopped the
challenge that morning. Tim went to bed as normal then began to write swear
words all over his bed, his sheets and his body. ("I was angry with you
because I couldn't fall asleep") This is the behaviour and obsessive
ruminations this poor boy was experiencing on a daily basis before the
elimination diet, which we have not seen until this challenge.
See also the following factsheets: Depression Head-banging
The information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult
with your doctor for underlying illness. Before beginning dietary
investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food intolerance.
update September 2006
