SI stands for Self Injury, the act of harming ones self. This is any kind of activity that's self destructive. There are many different forms it can take, including drug overdoses. It may even be mental, instead of physical. I am not going to attempt to put up a list as I feel that would not be constructive. If you self injure, you likely know what it is that you, personally, do. If you know someone who does you likely know as well.

Self injury is not a disease, or a virus, or a disorder. However, it can be a symptom of some mental disorders. This is not always the case. Sometimes, it is just something that people begin to do when depressed or extremely frustrated with their lives. It's not an attempt at suicide, nor is it something to ignore and write off as harmless. While it is not a sickness, it does indicate that someone isn't feeling well.

Self Injury is an indicator of a much larger problem without fail. Perhaps the problem is something as simple as stress at school, perhaps it's something much more serious like sexual abuse. Whatever the reason, the problem must first be addressed before the self injury can stop. If the problem already has been addressed and the self injury continues, it has passed into the realm of physical addiction and that too must be addressed. When injured, the body will release endorphines. The mind can become addicted to this chemical rush.

It is not a clique, fashion statement, cult or art. It is a warning flag that something else in life either is going or has in the past gone wrong. It is not something that can be recovered from overnight (imagine trying to quit caffiene- quitting the endorphine rush is harder, because essentially, it's free) but it is something that with patience can be overcome. There will be no long nights of shaking curled into a ball (it's not a heroin addiction, for Pete's sake) but it does take some time to stop. You must be dedicated and patient.