Self Harm & Cutting
“I usually feel like I have a black hole in the pit of my stomach, at least if I feel pain it’s better than feeling nothing.”
Self Harm is the intentional injuring of one’s own body, but serious harm or suicide is not the aim. People who self harm are not trying to end all feeling but are attempting to distract from, or numb, existing negative feelings. Contrary to popular belief, self harm is not a cry for attention, in fact, people who cut themselves try to hide it from those around them. Self harming behaviour usually begins in adolescence, around 12 years of age. It can be predicted that 7 out of 10 people who practice self harm are female, but this may be because males are less likely to come forward or to ask for help. Youth are more at risk of self harming because they learn to cope with emotions in different ways. Teenagers who have low self esteem, suppress their anger, suffer from anxiety, feel out of control and restricted, or see themselves as ignored and neglected are more likely to self harm. Cutting is an easily available ‘cause and effect’ type of harm, and is the most common form of self harm among today’s youth. Cutting is often associated with a history of trauma and abuse, drug dependence, and/or eating disorders. Very often, a self injurer will have a limited support network and has grown up, or is growing up, in a home where emotions aren’t openly and freely discussed. Red flags that someone has been or is cutting are: unexplained wounds, indications of depression, frequent accidents, changes in eating habits, problems handling emotions and dealing with relationships, and covering up. Treatment is available for people who practice self harm, and methods can vary from concentrating on the causes of self harm to replacing the behaviour with safer practices of relief. However, the most important step of self harm treatment is understanding why a person self harms.
If you are a family member or a friend of someone who you suspect is self harming or cutting visit the Interdisciplinary National Self Injury In Youth Network Canada to learn what you can do.
For more information visit the Canadian Mental Health Association’s website.
“I was 18 when I finally told someone. 2 years later I was able to stop without being forced. I actually wanted to stop. Getting someone else’s input, someone with an open mind who won’t run screaming into the night, can make all the difference.”
Self Harm is the intentional injuring of one’s own body, but serious harm or suicide is not the aim. People who self harm are not trying to end all feeling but are attempting to distract from, or numb, existing negative feelings. Contrary to popular belief, self harm is not a cry for attention, in fact, people who cut themselves try to hide it from those around them. Self harming behaviour usually begins in adolescence, around 12 years of age. It can be predicted that 7 out of 10 people who practice self harm are female, but this may be because males are less likely to come forward or to ask for help. Youth are more at risk of self harming because they learn to cope with emotions in different ways. Teenagers who have low self esteem, suppress their anger, suffer from anxiety, feel out of control and restricted, or see themselves as ignored and neglected are more likely to self harm. Cutting is an easily available ‘cause and effect’ type of harm, and is the most common form of self harm among today’s youth. Cutting is often associated with a history of trauma and abuse, drug dependence, and/or eating disorders. Very often, a self injurer will have a limited support network and has grown up, or is growing up, in a home where emotions aren’t openly and freely discussed. Red flags that someone has been or is cutting are: unexplained wounds, indications of depression, frequent accidents, changes in eating habits, problems handling emotions and dealing with relationships, and covering up. Treatment is available for people who practice self harm, and methods can vary from concentrating on the causes of self harm to replacing the behaviour with safer practices of relief. However, the most important step of self harm treatment is understanding why a person self harms.
If you are a family member or a friend of someone who you suspect is self harming or cutting visit the Interdisciplinary National Self Injury In Youth Network Canada to learn what you can do.
For more information visit the Canadian Mental Health Association’s website.
“I was 18 when I finally told someone. 2 years later I was able to stop without being forced. I actually wanted to stop. Getting someone else’s input, someone with an open mind who won’t run screaming into the night, can make all the difference.”
