Suicide is an intentional, self-inflicted act that results in death. The difficulty in distinguishing suicidal behaviours from purposeful self-harm is in determining the person’s intent. For example, was the intention of the behaviour to end the person’s life, a call for help, or a means of temporary escape? Suicidal behaviours that do not result in death are considered “nonfatal,” or more commonly, “suicide attempts”. 

Self-harm is an intentional and often repetitive behaviour that involves the infliction of harm to one’s body for purposes not socially condoned (excluding culturally accepted aesthetic modifications such as piercing) and without suicidal intent. It may be very difficult to distinguish between self-harm and suicide-related behaviour as both are self directed and dangerous. 

However, the majority of individuals who engage in self-harm do not wish to die. Rather, they use self-harm as a coping mechanism that provides temporary relief from psychological distress. Although seemingly extreme in nature, these methods represent an effective form of coping for some individuals. Though most people will know when to cease a session of self-harm (i.e., when their need is satisfied), accidental death may also result for example, if the person cuts into a vein and cannot stop the bleeding. Such cases of self-harm may be mistakenly labelled as a suicide or non-fatal suicide attempt by health care professionals.