Self-Harm in Teens and Young Adults: Seeking Professional Help

MISSION PREP

Around 8–15% of young people self-harm in their lifetime. So, if you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, know that they’re not alone.

Self-harm is when someone intentionally hurts themselves, and this can take many forms. While self-harm is mainly thought of as deliberate physical injuries, things like alcoholism, restrictive eating, or risky sex can be considered self-harm, too.

But what might push someone to hurt themselves? Someone may self-harm as an attempt to cope with overwhelming feelings. Some people say that self-harm gives them a temporary release from their emotions, while others say it helps them get a sense of gaining back control.

However, whatever the reason for self-harm, it’s important to know that self-harm can be dangerous, and it’s often a sign of something deeper going on. If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, it’s important to seek support as soon as possible. You deserve to feel better.

Whatever your circumstances, you don’t have to face self-harm on your own. Mission Prep offers residential treatment support for those trying to overcome self-harm. Contact us today at (866) 735-4133 for support.

Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harm in Teens

If you’re worried about a teen you know, you can begin to support them by looking out for some signals and learning how self-harming teens often behave. There tends to be a pattern of physical and emotional signs of self-harm, which include:

Physical Signs of Self-Harm in Teens

You might notice frequent scars, burns, or scratches on their skin. Your teen might also cover their skin with clothing even when it’s hot outside or use bandages frequently. They may offer no explanation or give explanations that you find odd or unlikely.

Self-harm is usually done in areas of the body that are easily covered. For example, their forearms, stomach, or thighs. So, it’s worth keeping an eye on these areas in particular if you are concerned.

Emotional Signs of Self-Harm in Teens

Your teen might be acting secretively, withdrawn from family and friends, or acting irritably. Of course, these signs can also be typical of adolescence, so it comes down to knowing your child and their normal behaviors and emotional state. If they’re acting drastically differently from normal, whether this is through withdrawing or showing outward behaviors, these are important to pay attention to.

If you’ve noticed some of these signs or are simply worried about someone and want to know what’s going on, try to approach your child with curiosity and a non-judgemental attitude. You can start by saying, “Hey, I noticed you’ve been acting a little different lately – I saw [state their different behavior]. Is everything going ok?”

Causes and Risk Factors for Self-Harm

So, what causes self-harm? It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on in someone’s head, and self-harm isn’t straightforward. However, we do know some factors that occur in people who self-harm that give us an idea of how they might be feeling.

These teen self-harm risk factors not only help us understand why they use this particular coping mechanism, but they also highlight the areas of the teen’s life that need to be targeted when trying to support them.

Mental Health Difficulties and Self-Harm

Self-harm in young adults and teens can be linked to mental health conditions like:

Depression: feelings of hopelessness, low self-worth, lethargy, numbness, and a lack of interest in daily activities.
Anxiety: feelings of panic or impending doom, difficulty making decisions or concentrating, and physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shakiness, sweating, headaches, or difficulty sleeping.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): low self-worth, rage, intense and rapidly changing emotions, impulsive behavior, and a strong fear of abandonment.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): being hyper-alert, sleep disturbances and nightmares, and intrusive memories or flashbacks.

All of these conditions could play a role in a teenager or young adult engaging in self-harm or self-harming behaviors. It may be that they feel it helps them cope with emotional pain, provides them with a sense of control, or serves as a form of self-punishment when they’re feeling guilty.

Societal Factors Affecting Self-Harm

Alongside or separately from mental health conditions, the teen you’re worrying about may be experiencing one or more of the following:

Bullying (online or in-person)
Pressures about body image
Stress to perform well in school or extra-curricular activities
Conflict in their friendships or romantic relationships
Pressure to use alcohol or drugs

Young people are vulnerable to these societal, peer, and academic pressures because they’re in education, exploring limits and relationships, and exposed to social media.

Development and Self-Harm

In addition, they’re at a particularly emotionally vulnerable place, as they’re in a period of their development where they’re seeking independence and distance from their family, while also figuring out:

Who they are
What they like
How they want to spend their time
What they might want to pursue in adulthood

This stage often involves some rebelliousness and conflict as they grow and develop from a child who is dependent on their parents for their survival into a self-sufficient adult. Inevitably, this will be challenging for everyone involved, creating tension in relationships and stress on the young person while they experience so much change.

Behavioral Issues Associated With Self-Harm

People who experience adverse childhood experiences, such as bereavement, financial hardship, or abuse, are more at risk of trying risky behaviors (such as substance abuse and unprotected sex). These behaviors often co-occur with self-harm, as they show a general difficulty regulating emotions.

How Self-Harm Can Worsen Existing Issues

Studies show that young people who self-harm feel a great deal of shame. The fear they may be judged or that they won’t be understood can keep teens locked in a cycle of self-harm and isolation, as they become increasingly reluctant to reach out and ask for help. As a result, their relationships may become even more strained.

A persistent state of mental distress, worsened by harboring a painful secret like self-harm, can make it extremely difficult for a person to fully concentrate. If things continue to spiral, their academic work may be affected.

Repeated self-harm also carries physical health risks like scarring and infection, so it’s vital that self-harm is treated quickly.

Recognizing Co-occurring Challenges in Teens

Self-harm is intrinsically linked to emotional, academic, and social challenges. For example, a teenager may be struggling at school due to ADHD or a distracting health issue.

It’s important for parents and caregivers to be aware of whatever co-occurring challenges are going on so that a self-harming teen is treated effectively. Professional treatment can address the wider factors in the teen’s life, as well as the self-harm itself.

Diagnosing Self-Harm in Teens

Identifying teen self-harm isn’t easy, but it’s reassuring to know that many teens and their families seek help for teen self-harm. To help your child speak out about self-harm, it’s important to create a stigma and judgment-free space. You can do this by:

Remaining calm
Focusing on their feelings about the self-harm, rather than your own in response to their self-harm
Asking open-ended questions that create space for their feelings. For example, “Can you talk me through how you feel it’s helping you?”
Telling them you love them, no matter what
Reassuring them that they don’t need to apologize

While all of this is vital to support your teen, it isn’t the whole picture. Seeking support from a healthcare or mental health professional is fundamental to your child getting the support they need.

The first step to this is a professional evaluation, which would involve an interview to identify underlying factors involved in your child’s self-harm (e.g., mental health issues). This would help determine risk levels and develop a care plan for the teen who is self-harming.

After an evaluation, the healthcare professional will point you in the right direction to the best course of treatment for your child. This is often hugely personal and dependent on your circumstances.

Treatment Options for Teen Self-Harm

Thankfully, there are many treatment options available for self-harming teens, ranging from at-home preventative measures to residential inpatient care.

Residential Treatment for Self-Harm

Residential self-harm treatment offers a safe and structured environment where staff are trained to manage crises. In these facilities, young people can receive support for their self-harm and co-occurring mental health issues.

Here at Mission Prep, we offer residential treatment for cutting and self-harm. We provide patients with a range of therapy types and support so that young people can build their self-esteem and learn how to regulate their emotions in healthy, more effective ways.

Inpatient Mental Health Treatment

For severe cases of self-harm, inpatient mental health treatment may be the best option. This is similar to residential treatment but with 24/7 monitoring and different psychotherapeutic interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and art therapy.

If you’re extremely worried about your child’s safety and you’re unable to care for them 24/7, inpatient mental health treatment can be a very useful option.

Specialized Therapies for Self-Harm

As an inpatient, a teen engaging in self-harm may be offered:

CBT: CBT for teens will help identify and challenge negative thought patterns and behaviors contributing to self-harm.
DBT: DBT will give young people the skills to use mindfulness and emotional regulation to help with their self-harm and relationships.
EMDR: EMDR for teens aims to reduce the emotional distress attached to certain memories so that they won’t feel as great a need to self-harm in response.
Family Therapy: This approach will help strengthen relationships within a family by improving communication and mutual understanding.

Coping Strategies for Teens and Young Adults

There are several coping strategies for teens who are self-harming. Some immediate self-harm alternatives include:

Holding an ice cube or a warm cup of tea
Snapping a rubber band
Ripping up paper or squeezing a stress ball

While these alternatives will provide temporary relief, the long-term aim of recovery from self-harm should be to improve the way the person manages their emotions.

So, it’s not only important to seek therapeutic support but to develop a toolkit of strategies that help support your child. These could include mindfulness, exercise, and communicating their feelings in healthy ways.

Additionally, strong and supportive networks of friends and family can be invaluable for teens struggling with self-harm. Not only will they be able to rely on this in the future, but fulfilling relationships are a cornerstone of day-to-day well-being.

When to Seek Help for Teen Self-Harm

Though self-harm is a distressing topic, recovery is certainly possible with the right care. If you’re concerned about a teen or young adult you know, and you feel they would benefit from inpatient or residential treatment, reach out to us here at Mission Prep. We’re available 24/7 to answer your questions.

References

Barrocas, A. L., Hankin, B. L., Young, J. F., & Abela, J. R. Z. (2012). Rates of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Youth: Age, sex, and Behavioral methods in a community sample. PEDIATRICS, 130(1), 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2094

Lindgren, B., Wikander, T., Marklund, I. N., & Molin, J. (2021). A Necessary Pain: A literature review of young people’s experiences of Self-Harm. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 43(2), 154–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2021.1948640

Moon, D., & Bahn, G. H. (2022). The concept of synchronization in the process of Separation-Individuation between a parent and an adolescent. Journal of Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(2), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.220003

Stallard, P., Spears, M., Montgomery, A. A., Phillips, R., & Sayal, K. (2013). Self-harm in young adolescents (12–16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample. BMC Psychiatry, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244x-13-328

Thomas, S., Deb, S., & K, N. a. J. (2023). Risk behavior among emerging adults: the role of adverse Childhood experiences (ACE), perceived family and interpersonal environment. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 19(3), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/09731342231219321

Woodley, S., Hodge, S., Jones, K., & Holding, A. (2020). How Individuals Who Self-Harm Manage Their Own Risk—‘I Cope Because I Self-Harm, and I Can Cope with my Self-Harm.’ Psychological Reports, 124(5), 1998–2017. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294120945178

Moon, D. S., & Bahn, G. H. (2022). The Concept of Synchronization in the Process of Separation-Individuation Between a Parent and an Adolescent. Soa–ch’ongsonyon chongsin uihak = Journal of child & adolescent psychiatry, 33(2), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.220003

Self-Harm in Teens and Young Adults: Seeking Professional Help

MISSION PREP