Teens who hurt themselves
Teens who hurt themselves
What is Self-Injury?
Self injurious behavior is any action that is intended hurt one's own body. Teens do all sorts of self injurious behavior, including cutting their body, hitting themselves, burning themselves, pulling out their hair, picking at their skin, poking at themselves and so on.
Why Do Kids Do It?
A teenager may use self-injury after a devastating or stressful event. The young person doesn't always know how to deal with deeply troubling feelings in a healthy way. Physical injury acts as a visible representation of emotional (internal and invisible) pain. It can also show others, without the use of words, that nurturing and solace is needed. Unfortunately, the act of self injuring only provides temporary relief, and once the physical wound heals the emotional pain returns full force.
More Reasons for Self Injury
Self-injury is often used to end the painful sensation of emotional apathy or numbness. It "wakes" a person up and allows some sort of feelings to flow again. Emotional numbing is an automatic defense process that occurs to people who have been badly emotionally wounded. For instance, many victims of physical, sexual or emotional abuse experience periods of numbing (sometimes alternating with periods of emotional flooding).Moreover, the guilt and confusion that can occur from childhood abuse is often overwhelming. Sometimes adolescents "punish" themselves for being "bad" assuming that they must have deserved the abusive treatment they received. Self injury is then a form of self-abuse that is consistent with the youngster's self-concept.In addition, causing oneself pain can be a way of "taking control" of one's situation. Sometimes a teenager feels very out of control, either due to abuse or due to other stresses. By initiating a physical injury, he or she has stopped being a helpless victim of circumstances. Instead of waiting for lightning to strike and burn them, these children strike the match themselves. In a superstitious sort of way, they might also think that the injury can prevent something worse from happening in their lives.
Teens also quickly discover that their behavior can control those around them. People react. Parents may stand up and take notice, seek therapy, feel guily. Friends may give extra attention or they may back off. The teen creates a tumult. It is a minor victory over helplessness.
Who Hurts Themselves?
Today, many kids hurt themselves. It is a social phenomenon. Once a teenager discovers a friend who engages in self-injury, she is more likely to try this form of communication herself. The most likely candidates for self injury include those whose expression of emotion (particularly anger) was discouraged during childhood, those who have a limited social support system, and those who have other mental health diagnoses such as OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), eating disorders, substance abuse and depression.
What Are the Most Common Ways that Teens Hurt Themselves?
Cutting- when one makes cuts or scratches on their body with sharp objects such as knives, needles, razor blades or fingernails. The most frequent parts of the body that are harmed are the arms, legs, and the front of the torso because they are easy to reach and can be concealed under clothing.
Branding- when one burns themselves with a hot object or, Friction burn which is rubbing a pencil eraser on one's skin.
Picking at skin or reopening wounds (Dermatillomania)- this is an impulse control disorder which is recognized by the constant impulse for one to pick at their own skin. It is usually done to the point that injury is caused which acts as a source of gratification or stress reliever.
Hair Pulling (trichotillomania) - an impulsive control disorder which appears to be a habit, addiction, or an obsessive compulsive disorder. It involves pulling hair out from any part of the body. When hair is pulled from the scalp the results are patchy bald spots on their head. Usually they wear hats or scarves to cover up their baldness. Irregular levels of serotonin or dopamine play a possible role in hair pulling.
Bone breaking, Punching, head banging- usually seen with autism or severe mental retardation.
Numerous piercings or tattoos- can be a self injurious activity if it involves pain and/or stress relief.
Drinking dangerous chemicals
Is Self-Injury a Suicide Attempt?
When a person causes injury upon themselves it is usually done without suicidal intentions, yet there has been cases where accidental deaths have happened. When a person self injures they do it as a means to reduce stress. People who self injure themselves usually possess a faulty sense of self value and these harsh feelings can whirlwind into a suicidal attempt. Often the intentions of self harm can go too far and it is at that point where professional intervention is necessary.
How to Help a Self Injurer:
Understand that self injurious behavior is a need to have control over oneself and it is a self comforting act
Show the person that you care about them and that you want to listen to them
Encourage them to express their emotions, especially anger
Spend quality time doing activities that are pleasurable
Help them seek out a therapist or support group
Avoid judgmental remarks
How Can Teens Help Themselves?
Realize that it is a problem and that there are probably issues that are hurting on the inside that need professional guidance
Realize that self harm is not about being a bad person, rather understanding that this behavior which is seemingly helping is becoming a significant issue
Seek out a mentor that can help. Some suggestions are a friend, rabbi, minister, counselor, or relative
Seek help to understand what triggers these behaviors
Understand that self inuring behaviors are a way to self calm and learn better ways to calm yourself
If you self injure because
You feel angry: then run, dance, scream, punch a pillow, throw or rip something apart.
You feel numb inside and you really want to feel something: then hold ice cubes in your hands and try to crush them, hold a package of something frozen, take a cold shower, eat something with a very strong taste such as chili peppers, or a raw peel.
You need to calm yourself: then take a bubble bath, do deep breathing, write in a journal, draw or do yoga, take Rescue Remedy (or other appropriate Bach Flower remedies)
You need to see blood: then draw a red ink line where you would normally cut yourself
Treatments for Self Injury
Psychotherapy is recommended for kids who hurt themselves. Sometimes medication will also be helpful. A psychological assessment by a qualified mental health practitioner can determine the most appropriate course of action in each case. Here are some of the common treatments for teens who self injure:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy. This helps a person understand why they hurt themselves in healthier ways
Therapies that deal with post traumatic stress disorder such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Hypnosis or self-relaxation
Group therapy which helps minimize shame, and helps express emotion in a healthy way
Family therapy which can trace back to history of family stress and helps families deal with their family member who self injures in a non judgmental way. It also teaches them how to communicate more effectively with each other and reduces parent-child conflicts and relationship difficulties.
Antidepressants or anti anxiety medications to reduce the impulsivity of the of the action while the self injurer is going for therapy
In critical situations, a self injurer needs to be hospitalized with various approaches along with a team of professionals
Do Teens Recover From Self-Injury?
Yes! With proper treatment, the prognosis is excellent. Self-injury can be the crisis that brings a family to therapy. This is often a turning point in the family's life, helping not only the self-injuring teen, but also other members of the family to reach higher levels of emotional well-being than ever before.
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