There is considerable uncertainty about which forms of psychosocial and physical treatments of patients who harm themselves are most effective. Diagnosis and treatment of the causes of self-harm is thought by many to be the best approach to treating self-injury. Here are several approaches for treating self-injury:

1. Antidepressant drugs - Psychiatric and personality disorders are common in individuals who self-harm and as a result self-injury may be an indicator of depression and/or other psychological problems. Many people who self-harm suffer from moderate or severe clinical depression and therefore treatment with antidepressant drugs may often be effective in treating these patients. Side effect depend from the drug type.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy - may be used (where the resources are available) to assist those with diagnoses, such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
3. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) - can be very successful for those individuals exhibiting a personality disorder and could potentially be used for those with other mental illnesses who exhibit self-injurious behavior.
4.Teaching an alternative, appropriate response - In developmentally disabled individuals who have communication or social deficits where self-injury is often a way how to obtain attention or ask something from their environment instead of using a socially appropriate way.
5.Avoidance techniques - Generating alternative behaviors (journaling, taking a walk, participating in sports or exercise or being around friends...) that the sufferer can engage in instead of self-injury, and shaping the use of such behaviors, is one successful behavioral method that is employed to avoid self-harm. The removal of objects used for self-injury from easy reach is also helpful for resisting self-injurious urges