This essential guidebook explores issues surrounding self-mutilation by placing opinions from a wide range of sources in a pro versus con format. Across three chapters, readers will evaluate whether it is a serious problem, what factors cause people to hurt themselves, and how self-injurers can really be helped. Essayist Wendy Lader reports that body art is a form of self-mutilation while Shannon Larratt claims body art is a form of self-expression. Mary Fischer reports that the Internet encourages self-mutilation while Bridges Tharp reports that stress and anxiety are the causes of it. By reading these debating essays and the several more provided, readers will obtain an educated, balanced view of this topic.