Adolescents who self-harm often exhibit changes in personality, sleep habits, and academic performance, and may have difficulties with relationships. Self-harm can range from cutting to ingesting harmful objects and is often associated with psychiatric diagnoses. Treatment may include medication, hospitalization, and therapy to eliminate self-injurious behavior and minimize the risk of relapse.
Adolescents who self-harm exhibit patterned signs and behaviors. They often have difficulties with relationships and find excuses to keep themselves socially isolated. It is not uncommon for self-harming adolescents to show significant changes in personality, sleep habits, and academic performance. Many adolescents who engage in self-harming behavior also demonstrate a significant loss of interest in activities they once loved.
Self-harm in adolescents can range from self-harm to self-mutilation. Individuals who self-harm often keep their injuries a secret and make excuses if their harmful actions are discovered. Frequently associated with psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression and borderline personality disorder, adolescent self-harm can require hospitalization if one’s actions significantly endanger one’s well-being.
Methods of adolescent self-harm vary in pattern and severity. Although cutting is considered the most common, it is possible for adolescents to engage in multiple self-harm behaviors. Individuals can poke, bite, or poison themselves. Intentional burning, scratching, or hair-pulling is not uncommon for self-abusing adolescents. It is not uncommon for adolescents who self-harm to ingest inanimate objects that have the potential to harm, including marbles or razor blades.
Self-harming behaviors are usually performed on areas of the body that are easy to hide. Clothing is a primary means of keeping self-injurious behaviors secret. For example, teenagers who cut themselves usually inflict injuries to their arms, torso or legs, which may be covered by a sweatshirt or pants.
There is a significant distinction between suicide and self-harm. The goal of adolescent self-harm is not to end one’s own life; it is an attempt to simply cope with the trauma and stressors of life. Individuals who engage in self-harming behavior are often depressed or borderline personalities who do not possess adequate coping skills. Teenage self-harm can increase your risk of infection, disfigurement, or accidental suicide.
The causes of teenage self-harm are as diverse as the methods. There is no single known trigger for self-injurious behavior. Adolescents who intentionally injure themselves view their actions as self-punishment for perceived guilt, guilt, or liability associated with trauma or unpleasant situations in their lives. Self-harm is often seen as a means to maintain some sense of control when everything in one’s life seems to be spiraling out of control.
There is no established approach to treating adolescent self-harm. If there is an underlying diagnosis, such as depression, medications can be used to stabilize the individual’s mood. Extreme cases of adolescent self-harm may require hospitalization to keep the individual safe. Therapy may be recommended to educate the adolescent about healthy coping skills and improve her self-esteem. The goal of treatment is to eliminate self-injurious behaviors and minimize the risk of relapse.
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