| SELF-HARM |
| Self-harm is also known as attempted suicide, parasuicide, self-destructive behaviour, self-injury, self-mutilation. It refers to causing deliberate harm to oneself and can be inflicted through a range of methods including: * burning * laxative abuse * cutting * drug overdose * scratching * alcohol abuse * picking at skin * taking recreational drugs * pulling out hairs * making oneself sick deliberately * banging head/wrist/other body parts * asphyxiation (suffocation) According to The Samaritans every year around 142,000 people in England and Wales go to hospital to be treated for self-harm but it is estimated that there are around 400 cases of self-harm per 100,000 people. Deliberate self-harm is most common in women aged 15-19, there have also been cases of very young children harming themselves. Self-harm is on the increase with the UK having one of the highest rates of attempted suicide in Europe with 1 in a 100 people who have attempted suicide being successful in taking their own life within a year. It is a common myth that people who self-harm were abused as a child but this is not always the case. There are many reasons why people self-harm and they include: * relationship difficulties * problems at work/university/school * family difficulties * relief from pain (physical or mental) * expression of emotional pain * to exert some control over oneself * to express anger * psychiatric illness * escape from emptiness, depression, feelings of unreality or anxiety Whatever the reason behind a person's self-harm it is important for it to be recognised and the person needs to seek professional help to try to understand the reason why they self-harm and to learn to find more effective coping mechanisms. For the family and friends of self-harmers it can be hard to know what to do and they often feel helpless and being able to protect their loved ones and prevent them from inflicting more harm to themselves. It is important that the self-harmer is encouraged to speak to their doctor and ask for help, if the self-harmer is a child then a parent or guardian should be informed. It must be kept in mind though that no-one can stop someone from self-harming and it is up the the individual to make the decision to stop, the young and those unable to take responsibility for themselves need to be given protection from themselves especially if there is a risk to their live and this may mean hospitalisation. In most cases though the health care professionals try to go for care in the community - input from community psychiatric nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists. If you do feel the need to self-harm then please do take steps to limit your harm and protect yourself from infection by using clean instruments and keeping wounds clean. Before you do harm try to distract yourself from the urges and thoughts. Make a list of 10 things that you must do before you harm, an example is: 1. Listen to music for 10 minutes 2. Write a letter/email 3. Phone a friend 4. Dance for 10 minutes 5. Play the piano/guitar/flute/clarinet/violin...... for 10 minutes 6. Watch television for 10 minutes 7. Write a poem 8. Go for a walk/run 9. Have a bath 10. Read a book for 10 minutes If after you've gone through your list and still have a bad urge to self-harm then please just be careful and do try to seek help. It's important to remember that you are a worthy person, you don't deserve to have to suffer and put yourself through this pain and that the behaviour can be challenged and changed if you really want to. If you or someone you know is a self-harmer there are organisations you can contact. Please do see my links page Links Page If you need to talk to someone with experience of self-harm please feel free to email me at: catdog21uk@yahoo.com |
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