The Influence of Substance Use on Engagement in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSI) in Adults

Background: Adults engaging in non-suicidal self-injurious (NSI) behaviors often report the use of substances; however, little research explores the relationship between substance abuse and NSI. Thus, this study examined the influence of substance use on patterns of NSI among adults. Objectives: This study seeks to answer the following questions: (a) Is AOD use predictive of more frequent self-injurious behaviors? and (b) Does the use of AODs predict injuring more severely than expected? Methods: An observational cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationship between drug use and NSI behaviors. Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk). Results: Results indicated opiates, barbiturates and sedatives all had a small but statistically significant influence on the frequency of NSI behaviors, while marijuana, PCP and anti-anxiety medications had a small but statistically significant relationship to severity. Conclusion/Importance: This study indicates that future research should take into account substance use patterns in adults engaging in NSI behaviors.