Self inflicted trauma is a symptom.. of what tho? Real question as I don't self harm. I did a few times, and I know why, trauma. I would think it is a symptom of trauma, one could say life is traumatic. We have these accepted instances we consider to be trauma. Some of the worst trauma I have gone through was outside these bounds, outside the SA, Physical abusive that I went through. This is confusing trying to decipher what is and what is not.