An analysis of interviews with 4 self-injuring young women suggests the meaning of self-injury is not the same as the meaning of attempted suicide, & the two acts are related in the sense that self-injury is an adaptive alternative to suicide. The function of self-injury as a communicative act & the extent to which self-injurers can control their actions are also discussed. It is suggested, within the context of self-injury as survival, issues of communication & control do not have the significance they are frequently supposed to have. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. (11 refs.)