Introduction: Self harm is defined as harming oneself deliberately. The reasons are usually because of psychological or psychiatric disorders.
Some people harm themselves because they feel this helps them deal with their problems, express their feelings or to release emotional pain.

Quite a few books have been published about people who harmed themselves, and how they dealt with it.

1. Cut by Patricia McCormick: This is the story of a girl in her early teens who cuts herself as a solution to dealing with her own problems. She is then taken to Sea Pines, a residential treatment facility, where she finds herself amongst other girls who are also struggling to deal with their problems. Gradually, she learns the reasons behind her self- mutilation, and begins to feel better.

2. Willow by Julia Hoban: This book is about sixteen- year -old Willow, who cuts herself to help her to deal with the pain of losing both her parents. She had been driving the car in which her parents died. Her brother barely speaks to her and her classmates know her as the orphan killer girl. Guy, a young, smart, and sensitive boy, is determined to stop her from harming herself, and begins to help her in dealing with the trauma.

3. The Luckiest Girl in the World by Steven Levenkron: Katie Roskova, a young skater who seems to have it all, has trouble coping with the pressures of her life, and begins self-mutilation.

4. Skin Game: A Memoir by Caroline Kettlewell: `Kettlewell tells her story of how she discovered that the only way to deal with the overpowering feelings of self-consciousness and alienation was to physically harm herself. She became the first person to tell her story in a book, living with and overcoming the disorder known as cutting.

5. Blood Letting : A memoir of secrets, self harm and survival, by Victoria Leatham: The author sheds light on her struggle of overcoming a violent cycle of self-harm, cutting and other psychological problems. She also offers advice to other suffering from similar problems.

6. A Bright Red Scream: Self Harm and the Language of Pain, by Marlee Strong: This book explores the trend of self-mutilation, tracing how feelings of rage and self-punishment are triggered, and the process of treatment as described by patients, doctors, and researchers.

7. Women Who Hurt Themselves by Dusty Miller: This book was the first do focus on women who harm themselves by self- mutilation, surgeries, eating disorders and other forms of injury to the body.

8. Blade Silver Color Me Scarred, by Melody Carlson: Ruth copes with the uncomfortable and abusive situation at home by cutting herself. Her high school counselor helps get her treatment as she is just heading out in life.

9. Hannah: A True Story of Drugs, Cutting and Mental Illness by Hannah Westberg: The author tells the story of her roller-coaster life. Her mother was constantly in and out of the mental hospital, and this affected her tremendously. She begins to cut herself and harm her body in gruesome ways, even going so far as to attempt suicide.

10. The Adolescent And Young Adult Self –Harming Treatment Manual, by Matthew D Selekman: Self harming behavior in young adults is one of the most challenging problems that therapists deal with. This book should be in the possession of every therapist, and provides a detailed protocol for working with this segment of society. This user friendly book provides highly effective therapeutic guidelines that are intended to helptherapists to deal with clients who are disturbed and emotionally vulnerable.