Langdon, be real careful about thinking someone is hurting himself when you really don't know what's going on. When I lived in the south, I was plagued by all manner of biting insects. I have zero tolerance for anything that itches and would scratch an itch until I broke the skin and the itch was replaced by hurt. I couldn't stop scratching the itch long enough to get an ointment out of my purse or get to a first aid kit. There were times that I had so many of these "scratched areas" that it looked as though I had been in a car wreck. It didn't help that I bruise easily either and that only compounded the problem.

I wasn't in treatment for any kind of emotional or mental disorder at the time and was really offended when people asked about my scratches, lacerations and/or bruises and when I told them what caused it, well, I guess you have to be plagued by itches to understand. Few did. Even supervisors and managers where I worked insinuated that I was being battered or would openly tell others, "she says it's a mosquito bite..."

People can really be cruel when they don't understand what they see and then disbelieve the explanation. If your friend says he must have scratched himself, give him the benefit of the doubt. It might actually be that he hadn't noticed them.