We have vast experience of working with young people who self-harm and all of our staff is trained in working with individuals who self-injure. ATAS has gained a deep understanding of the reasons young people harm themselves, and through our work we have learnt how to provide help and bring hope. Our staff adopts a non-judgmental approach in order to build trusting relationships with affected young people and helps them to find alternative positive coping mechanisms. We work closely with outside agencies such as CAMHS, National Self-harm Network and Harmless.
Self-Harm: How It Happens
Self-harm happens in different ways, some more obvious and serious than others. Forms of self-harm include:
- Cutting, scratching, carving, branding or marking the body
- Picking at scabs so they don’t heal
- Pulling hair
- Burning or grazing yourself
- Biting, bruising or hitting yourself
- Hitting a part of your body on something hard.
Digital self-harm or self-cyberbullying is 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. Some teenagers and young people deal with strong emotions in less obvious but still serious ways. These include binge-drinking, taking a lot of drugs, having unsafe sex or starving themselves.
Signs of self-harm
Young people who self-harm sometimes try to hide it. They’re often ashamed of their behaviour and worry that people will be angry with them, reject them or not understand why they’re self-harming.
If you’re concerned that your child might be self-harming, here are some signs to watch out for.
Behaviour signs
Your child might:
- have changes in their sleeping or eating patterns
- lose interest in activities they usually enjoy, or stop seeing friends
- avoid activities like swimming, where their legs, arms or torso can be seen, or wear clothes that cover their arms and legs
- skip school or have a drop in performance at school
- hide objects like razor blades, stencil knives, lighters and matches.
Emotional signs
Your child might:
- have big changes in mood
- be irritable a lot of the time
- have ongoing temper outbursts
- feel sad, empty or hopeless
- feel worthless or very guilty
- stop caring about their appearance.
Physical signs
Your child might:
- have injuries that they can’t or won’t explain
- be agitated
- seem very slow or tired or have very little energy