Why Teenagers Self-Harm
It is not uncommon to have teenagers cutting parts of their bodies. Studies show that between 15-20% of teenagers have at one time or another had to self-harm. It is noted that there are more girls than boys who self-harm. This can hard to understand or imagine from the outside. One wonders why anyone would do such a dreadful act on themselves
Self-harm is a maladaptive way of coping with strong emotional pain or distress. Sometimes the inner pain can be so intense that they become numb. The teenagers self-harm as a way of gaining control; a quick relieve from inner turmoil. At that moment, the sensation of self-harming and experiencing some physical pain can feel easier than feeling out of control emotionally. The problem is that this is a temporal relief and as feelings build up again, so does the urge to self-harm. This can become a cycle that is hard to break because it only adds to the load that the teenager is carrying on top of what they already are going through.
There is another type of harm - digital self-harm or self-cyber bullying. This happens when teenagers create alternative online identities for themselves on social media sites and post cruel comments about themselves. The alternative identities might also get cruel comments from other people.
Why do teenagers self-harm?
Suffering abuse, bullying and other traumatic experiences
A sudden change like a death, divorce or moving to a new school
Stresses of exams or extreme pressure or criticism from family, friends or teachers
Low self-esteem or issues with body image
Feeling emotionally dead inside or feeling invisible. Self-harm makes them feel alive inside and helps confirm their existence in reality.
Feelings of guilt, failure, loneliness or being unloved
Social media challenges
Wanting to "fit in" with other members of the peer group that self-harms
Some of the methods used to self-harm
Burning the skin with either a match stick, cigarettes or even cigarette lighters
Banging their head arm and other extremities against a hard surface
Cutting the skin by use of razor blade or any other sharp object
Biting or pinching the skin
Opening up of old wounds
Ingesting toxic substances