Adolescents And Self Injury/Harm…How-To Cope
“Using a hot knife, he branded the date of the event permanently on his forearm — his version of a suicide note…“I didn’t really want to die,” he said. “But I didn’t know how else to relieve the pain I was feeling inside.”” – (Charlotte Sun 8/14 Guns & Mental Illness|Article by Brenda Barbosa PDF)
Injuring yourself on purpose by making scratches or cuts on your body with a sharp object — enough to break the skin and make it bleed — is called cutting. Cutting is a type of self-injury, or SI. People who cut often start cutting in their young teens. Some continue to cut into adulthood.
People may cut themselves on their wrists, arms, legs, or bellies. Some people self-injure by burning their skin with the end of a cigarette or lighted match.
When cuts or burns heal, they often leave scars or marks. People who injure themselves http://teenshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html
With the growing pressures on today’s adolescents, more and more are turning to self -harm (a.k.a. NSSI/Non-Suicidal Self-Injury) in order to cope. Although each person is unique, there appears to be a correlation to an emotional release that can be addictive for the self-injurious individual.
Individuals report that they have feelings so intense that they feel self-injurious behaviors releases their emotions. It is important to understand that not only is there an emotional component, but also a physical one in that endorphins are released when the individual self-injures.
What are the Cutting Edge tools with Coping with Self Injury
The need for healthy replacement behaviors, identifying triggers and faulty thought patterns, as well as learning self- soothing are important to treating individuals who self-injure and give the essential healthy coping skills.
Melissa Worthen, LMHC states “exercise of any form such as running, yoga, or dancing can help manage the stress and create healthy coping skills to release endorphins thus reducing self injurious behaviors“.
Need more Info? CONTACT: the Screening Department at 639-8300 for more information.