Self Harm |
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Self-harm is a growing trend in adolescents. Cutting and overdosing on medications are the most common forms of self-harm in teens, but other forms of self-harm include:
Most teens use self-harm to cope with intense and distressing emotions. The physical pain caused by the self-harm offers a temporary relief from high anxiety and other overwhelming emotions. Teens might also self-harm:
While most teens cut to regulate their emotions, some teens may cut to fit in with their peers or because they believe cutting makes them cool and interesting. It’s easy to take this type of cutting less seriously, but if a teens self-harm is dismissed by others this may cause a deliberate escalation in symptoms to prove a point.
Most teens will keep their self-harm a secret and may deny that they’re self-harming when directly asked. If you’re concerned, warning signs to look out for include:
Click here for more information about teen self-harm including what you can do to keep your child safe and how to help your teen cope with peer self-harm.