Self-injury (SI) has been defined as "the direct, deliberate destruction or alteration of one's body tissue without conscious suicidal intent" (Favazza, 1998, p. 260). Over the past few decades, scholarly research has provided a better understanding of SI-what it is, who does it, and how and why it is done. Notably absent in the research, however, is an examination of the process and consequences (both positive and negative) of disclosing SI. This exclusion is significant, as choosing whether (and when, and to whom) to disclose SI has significant ramifications for a person's life. This grounded theory study was conducted as a preliminary investigation into SI disclosure. Eighteen women with a history of SI participated via in- person interviews or an online open-ended surveys. The study addresses participants' reasons for and against disclosure and experiences with seeking medical or therapeutic treatment: immediate reactions to and long- term outcomes of their disclosure are also discussed. Shame and stigma were found to play a significant role in SI disclosure. Based on these findings, participant's disclosure experiences are categorized based on the degree to which they disclosed their SI, and a grounded theory of self-injury disclosure is presented. Findings suggest the need for increased disclosure at the societal level, as overcoming shame and stigma to disclose SI not only empowers the one who discloses but may also empower others by creating a space for disclosure.
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