Teen and Self Injury | Red Rock Canyon School

Self injury provides immediate relief to a teen who has not been taught how to handled their emotions. Red Rock Canyon School describes how this inability to deal with strong emotions will push teens to self injure. Young people learn to cope with emotions in different ways. Tears, anger, depression and withdrawal are some of the ways of responding to – and finding relief from – overwhelming feelings. Some teens are troubled by frequent intense and painful emotions. While some are able to deal with these feelings, others react differently to their problems. Some teens express themselves by cutting or burning or otherwise hurting themselves, but this is a short-term solution with serious consequences. For more infomation on this issue please contact Red Rock Canyon School at 1-866-452-8121

Self injury is not a new phenomenon, and it is becoming more common. more and more teens are getting diagnosed with causing themselves harm or self-injure. The rate of self injury is growing. Gaining a deeper understanding of self harm is an essential first step to helping a teen. There is treatment, but as with all mental and physical conditions, early diagnosis is key to provide the necessary help to a teen causing harm to themselves.

What Is Self Injury?

In a broader sense, behaviours such as smoking, alcohol and drug addiction, bingeing on food and staying in an abusive relationship can also be considered forms of self harming.

People who self injure may not be trying to kill themselves. Usually, they are not trying to end all feeling; they are trying to feel better.

Why do People Self Injure?

Experts describe deliberate self injury as ineffective problem-solving. People who self injure are often seeking relief from psychological pain, unbearable tension, loneliness, depression, anger or an absence of feeling or numbness. Some people self harm to feel emotions more intensely; others do it to punish themselves for being “bad.” They either cannot or have not learned how to express those feelings more effectively.

Self injury usually starts during puberty or adolescence. It can last for up to ten years, but if left untreated, it may persist. Episodes are usually responses to a “trigger,” such as a perceived rejection or other emotional pain. Cutting behaviour can spread, and there is a rising trend for teens to discuss cutting on the Internet and form cutting clubs at school.There is no single pattern or profile for self injurers. According to research, most are from a middle to upper-class background, with average to high intelligence, and low self esteem. It is also shown to be prevalent in individuals who were discouraged from showing emotions.

By physically harming themselves, self injurers often report feeling relief from the emotions that overwhelm them. They feel pain on the outside, not the inside.

Warning Signs

People who self injure go to great lengths to hide the behaviour. But there are warning signs, such as:

• unexplained frequent injuries, such as cuts and burns
• wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts in warm weather
• low self esteem
• problems handling emotions
• problems with relationships

If you suspect that your teen engages in self cutting, it is recommended to get them immediate help before it gets out of control.