Self harm means any behaviour which involves the deliberate causing of pain or injury to oneself. This includes cutting, burning or hitting oneself, overdosing on prescription or illegal drugs or abuse of drugs and alcohol, or even binge-eating or starvation and repeatedly putting oneself in dangerous situations.
Self harm is usually a response to distress - often the distress associated with mental illness. In the short-term, some people find that self harm provides temporary relief from the psychological distress they are experiencing. While people who self harm do not necessarily mean to kill themselves, it often becomes compulsive and dangerous activity and requires careful professional help.
What are the causes?
People who deliberately harm themselves have often had tough experiences or relationships in their lives. They may have:
- Been bullied or discriminated against.
- Lost someone close to them, such as a parent, brother, sister or friend.
- Broken up with a boyfriend or girlfriend .
- Been physically or sexually abused.
- Experienced a serious illness or disability that affects the way they feel about themselves.
- Experienced problems with family, school or peer groups.
Why do people self harm?
Deliberate self harm may be used as a way to cope with experiences and the strong feelings associated with these experiences. Self harm may:
- Provide a way to express difficult or hidden feelings: It is not uncommon to feel numb or empty as a result of overwhelming. Engaging in deliberate self harm may provide them with a temporary sense of feeling again. It may also provide a way to express anger, sadness, grief or hurt.
- Be a way of communicating to people that you need some support. When a person feels unable to use words to express how they are feeling, they may self harm to get the message across.
- Be a way of proving to themself that they are not invisible.
- Provide a person with a feeling of control. They might feel that self harm is one way they can have a sense of control over their life, feelings, or body, especially if the person feels as if other things in their life are out of control.
How is self harm treated?
Self harm may be associated with a sense of guilt, depression, low self esteem or self hatred along with a tendency to isolate oneself from others. Counselling may assist in dealing with these issues. Finding others ways to cope with associated feelings and distraction techniques to avoid urges to self harm are common treatment options.
Sources of information:
ORYGEN Youth Health
Reach Out! website
Worried About Someone Else?
The following information is provided by Headspace in relation to responding to a young person who self harms.
Some young people stop self harming on their own. Others can continue in a fairly safe way while others may place themselves at risk of dying. The best way to help someone you know that is self harming is to encourage and support them to seek professional help. Try to make them feel safe enough to discuss their feelings. Try to remain calm and maintain an open attitude recognising the young person may feel ashamed of their actions and be fearful of your judgements.
It is important that you ask the young person whether he/she feels suicidal. Call your local hospital or mental health service if you think the young person is suicidal to get professional help. Initial treatment involves dealing with any immediate medical complications of self harm, if present. Call an ambulance (000) or take the person to the accident and emergency department of the local hospital if the person needs urgent medical attention.
The Suicide Helpline also recommends the following when responding to a person who self harms:
- Don't panic or overreact.
- Make sure the person gets medical attention if needed.
- Try to respond neutrally (to prevent reinforcing behaviour). Acknowledge what the person has done in a matter of fact way. Being angry or punishing can reinforce the behaviour; as can being overly caring or concerned.
- If other young people are present, take the person away from a situation where they might attract unnecessary attention. This helps to prevent reinforcement.
- The motivation to reduce or stop self-harming behaviour must come from the individual; ultimatums do not work!
- Help the person to access appropriate counselling or mental health support.
- Removing self harm as a coping strategy (without replacing it with more adaptive ones) can leave the person more vulnerable if they have no other way of coping with their distress.
- Make yourself available to listen. Encourage them to come and talk out their feelings instead of self harming.
- Take their problems seriously and model effective problem solving.
- Find ways to enhance self esteem and recognise their positive qualities.
- Develop effective communication, coping and social skills.
Supporting someone who self harms can be a stressful experience so getting support for yourself is also recommended.
Helpful Sites
Need Help Now?
Emergency Assistance
000 Emergency Assistance
National emergency assistance number for ambulance, police and fire response.
000
Lifeline Australia
Lifeline provides 24-hour confidential telephone counselling to anyone within Australia.
13 11 14
Suicide Helplines
Contacts for 24hr response services in each state for those feeling suicidal and for those supporting someone feeling suicidal.
Vic - 1300 651 251
NSW - 1300 363622 or 02 9331 2000
Qld - 07 3831 9016 or 1300 363 622
WA - 1800 198 313 or 1800 676 822
SA - 131465 or 1800 182 232
Tas - 1300 364 566
ACT - 1800 629 354 or 02 6205 1065
NT - 1800 019 116
Talk to someone now
Kids Help Line
Kids Help Line is a free, confidential and anonymous, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.
1800 551 800
Lifeline Australia
Lifeline provides 24-hour confidential telephone counselling to anyone within Australia.
13 11 14
SANE Helpline
SANE Australia provides a Helpline service Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm EST providing information about symptoms, treatments, medications, where to go for support and help for carers.
1800 18 SANE (7263)
Get support online now
Kids Helpline
Kids Help Line is a free, confidential and anonymous, 24-hour telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25.
University Support Services
Find your local university support services, by selecting your state, and then the name of your university.
