100 cases of self-injury (39 self-cutters & 61 self-poisoners) were interviewed. Recordings were made of their feeling state before & after the act, & of the social circumstances under which it occurred. Information was compared to what is known of animal behaviour in this area. Results indicate similarities, especially for self-cutters, between animal & human self-injury, in terms of the social situation & tension before the act. (RM)