Self-harm has been given other labels including self-mutilation and self-injurious behaviors, but whatever the label, it's a sign of an individual who is having moments of severe depression or it's an indicator that there are mental health issues. No matter, to the person who cuts, there is a valid reason why he feels the need to inflict physical harm.
Who Cuts?
There's no boundary among gender, race, religion or countries when it comes to this desperate act of seeking help, although some studies state that adolescent girls demonstrate this behavior more frequently.
The CASE (Child and Adolescent Self-Harm in Europe) Study was funded by the European Commission Daphne Programme and was conducted between 1998 and 2004. This comprehensive study found that 3 in 10 girls and 1 in 10 boys have self-harmed or considers this behavior. Of these, 25% had not shared what they did with anyone and 12.4% had not attended a hospital as a result. A disturbing finding is that 59% of those who self-harm, said they wanted to die. Other CASE Study findings include:
- 1 in 5 incidents of self-harm occurred under the influence of alcohol.
- 1 in 8 incidents occurred under the influence of illegal drugs.
- Self-cutting is the most prevalent method of self-harming amongst females and males.
- Males are more likely to use more dangerous methods that may have more serious outcomes such as self-battery and hanging.
Deliberate self-harm among adolescents is a global issue, yet it's well-hidden among those who harm. Even though there are studies to validate the severity of this pandemic, the true statistics will never be known as many never come forward.
What do These Behaviors Look Like?
Self-abusive behaviors can include many acts. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) state that some common forms of self-mutilation or injury include:
- Carving
- Scratching
- Bruising
- Biting
- Hitting
- Tattooing
- Excessive body piercing
- Excessive skin picking
- Burning
Warning Signs
There are many warning signs of self-harming behaviors that include the adolescent wearing long sleeves or multiple bracelets. Although the arm is a common place to inflict injury, the legs and abdomen are other areas that better conceal the scars.
Some signs to watch for include: depression, low self-esteem, change in routines, signs of substance abuse, impulsive behaviors, finding sharp objects in odd places in the home, appearance of increased scratches, scars, bruises or other damage to the skin or hair and a reduced social circle.
Antecedents
Like substance abuse, there is no one single cause to this behavior. A person who self-harms is likely to have gone through very difficult or painful experiences as a child. He or she had no one to confide in and therefore internalized the negative emotions. These emotions manifest and eventually the pain has to be released one way or another.
Jennifer is 20 years old and is a recovered “self-harmer”. She was sexually abused at a very young age by an uncle her family often visited. Jennifer remembers the abuse stopped when she was about 10 years old, yet the emotional pain of being threatened to keep the secret became too unbearable. “I got into high school and saw how others killed their emotional pain, so I started carving too. The emotional pain went away and I got high on the pain. It felt so good to escape so I didn't care about the scars it left.” According to Jennifer, many people she knows self-harm because of abuse they suffered or being raised in dysfunctional homes.
There's no shame in self-abuse. Reaching out for help or helping an adolescent in need is important. Youth need to know, they are not alone.
For more information visit S.A.F.E. Alternatives® or call 1-800-366-8288.
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