Signs of Self-Harm in Teens: Self Injury Awareness
Dr. Kristyn Gregory, D.O.
| 4 min read
Dr Kristyn Gregory, D.O., is a medical director at B...
By: Dr. Kristyn Gregory, D.O., is a medical director of behavioral health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Between seven percent and 24% of teens engage in acts of self-harm. Self-injury is intentionally causing harm to one’s skin or body to alleviate feelings of overwhelming emotional distress. Teens are most at risk of such behaviors. Let’s look at self-injury, the symptoms and causes and how to help teens who self-harm.
What is self-harm and what are the causes?
Self-harm includes:
- Cutting skin with a sharp object such as a knife, razor blade or pencil
- Scratching and picking skin with their fingernails
- Burning skin with a lighter
- Hitting solid objects such as walls
- Hitting themselves with their hands or heavy objects
Signs a teen is self-harming include:
- Fresh cuts, scratches or burns, especially on arms, legs and abdomen
- Covering their skin when they didn’t before
- Using more bandages than usual
- Increased or new depression or anxiety or sudden mood changes
- New or sudden self-isolation
These acts can lead to wounds, infection and scarring. Engaging in self-harm is associated with suicidal thoughts or attempts, and any teen who self-harms should be evaluated for suicide risk.
Rates of self-harm rise in teens who have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or chronic mental distress. Family problems, friendship and relationship problems and school problems are also contributing factors to self-injury. Teens can be particularly vulnerable to self-harm after difficult events.
Teens may self-injure in an effort to get relief from psychological pain or to manage their emotional distress, similar to how an adult may turn to alcohol. Another reason a teen may self-harm is to punish themselves for something they did or thought.
A myth about self-injury is that talking about it will give teens the idea to do it. Even if a teen is not prone to self-injury, having a preemptive talk about what it is and how they can manage their strong emotions can help prevent such behaviors. Talking about it with compassion can also help teens recognize these symptoms in their friends.
What parents and guardians can do to help and support teens
Teens who engage in self-injury are more likely to talk to a friend than they are a parent. Being a trusted, calm person can help a teen build trust and comfort in talking to a parent or guardian.
If parents notice signs of self-harm or are concerned about self-harm, they can calmly ask their children about their emotional state and validate their emotions. While parents may be upset, afraid and angry, sharing anger and fear with their teens may make it even more difficult for the child to talk about. Parents and guardians could also consider talking to a primary care provider, counselor or therapist about how to talk to their children and how to help them.
Get immediate help
First, get professional help for a teen who is cutting. Emergency help for mental health crises, including self-injury or suicidal ideation:
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline by calling 988.
- Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine by calling 800-950-6264 or by texting “HelpLine” to 62640.
Talk to a teen’s primary care provider or contact a therapist or counselor for more long-term help. Therapy can help teens get to the root cause of their distress and help them find ways to manage and build resiliency.
Build a mental health toolkit
Second, parents can work with professionals to help their teens find alternative ways to deal with acute emotional distress, such as:
- Holding an ice cube
- Splashing cold water on their face
- Going for a walk
- Listening to comforting music
- Breathing exercises
While some of these tools sound simple, they can help a teen get through intense emotions by moving focus from emotions to a physical sensation. Working together to build a toolkit for times of emotional distress can help teens have something to turn to instead of self-harm.
Build a self-care routine
While self-care is a trendy word, the basics are to build a daily or weekly routine to ensure overall health and well-being. A routine of self-care could include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Staying hydrated
- Getting enough sleep
- Spending quality time with loved ones
- Therapy or counseling
- Regular exercise
- Mindfulness or meditation
- Art such as coloring, drawing or playing an instrument
Dr. Kristyn Gregory, D.O., is a medical director of behavioral health at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more health tips and information, visit MIBlueDaily.com.
Image: Getty Images
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