I actually sometimes panic and try to avoid pain. I know it's not real, and that I won't wake up damaged, but that's besides the point... I don't want to experience the pain and instead of calmly getting rid of the threat I panic and run.

Once this was happening and to escape my sister who was holding a knife, I tried to fly through a screened patio and bounced off the screen and smashed into the cement. That hurt quite a bit.

I wonder if people who have a problem with self-harming could do it in their dreams instead of real life and experience the same effect without having to actually harm themselves, until they get some therapy.