Why are teens hurting themselves?

An estimated 13% to 26% of high school students engage in non-suicidal self -injury, according to the latest info from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Cutting is the most common method, but teens also burn themselves and pull out their hair. I have seen this on the rise in my middle school.

 

Students harm themselves mainly to regulate emotions, particularly anger, fear, and loneliness.  The physical pain temporarily distracts the student from emotional distress. Teens who injure themselves may be dealing with feelings that they cannot cope with, or hard situations they think cannot change. They may feel desperate for relief from these feelings. These teens sometimes have other mental health problems that add to their emotional pain.

Someone who cuts uses a sharp object to make marks, cuts, or scratches on the body on purpose — enough to break the skin and cause bleeding. People typically cut themselves on their wrists, forearms, thighs, or belly. They might use a razorblade, knife, scissors, a metal tab from a soda can, the end of a paper clip, a nail file, or a pen. Some people burn their skin with the end of a cigarette or lighted match.

According to the New York Department of Health,  self-inflicted injuries are the fifth leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations for children ages 10 to14 years. Self-inflicted injuries, such as cutting, burning, and pinching, are the second leading cause of hospitalizations due to injury for children ages 15 to 19 years. Each year in NYS, over 240 children ages 10 to14 years and over 1,250 children ages 15 to 19 years are hospitalized for self-inflicted injuries. More than 2,300 children ages 15 to 19 years are seen in hospital emergency departments each year for these types of injuries. Self- inflicted injuries most often occur on the arms, legs and front of the body because they are easier to reach and hide under clothing. However, the injuries could affect any part of the body.

 

A sense of shame and secrecy often goes along with cutting. Most teens who cut hide the marks and if they're noticed, make up excuses about them. Some teens don't try to hide cuts and might even call attention to them.

Cutting often begins as an impulse. But many teens discover that once they start to cut, they do it more and more, and can have trouble stopping. Many teens who self-injure report that cutting provides a sense of relief from deep painful emotions. Because of this, cutting is a behavior that tends to reinforce itself.

Some schools have put programs in place to help students learn how to regulate their emotions.  Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT is the leading treatment for self-injury.  Lessons include work on Mindfulness, the intentional, non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring at the present moment.,  The therapy also teaches students alternative actions to take when they feel an urge to hurt themselves. 
Mental health issues must be stripped of the elements of shame that cloud attention and treatment.  Our kids need help.  If you know a student who is self-injuring call the Self-injury Resource Line (1-800-DONTCUT).  We can help.

Some of the material for this post was gathered from the District Administration Journal October 2015, (p.21).