Preventing Self-harm in Teens

Self-harm is a problem that has in recent years come under public notoriety as an increasing number of teens engage in these acts. Although this issue is now discussed more than ever before, it is still deemed taboo and often misunderstood.

Regrettably, with so much stigma associated with the subject, depressed teens are often reluctant to reach out for help for fear of being labeled as social outcasts. 

We want teens and their parents to know they are not alone, and there is a therapeutic restoration to be found through a healing environment conducive to true, life-long change. 

Here at Clearview, we are dedicated to not only preventing teens from self-harm but assisting them in meeting their full potential so that they may live their young lives to the fullest.  

Self-Harm is Far More Prevalent Among Teens Than Parents Realize

Self-harm knows no bounds when it comes to age, gender, social class, or mental ability. Studies have reported as many as three million people annually participate in some type of self-harm, whether it be cutting, burning, banging their heads, or striking themselves. 

While there is an unfortunate misconception that these teens are only trying to get attention, statistics prove the contrary. As of this writing, in 2021, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among teens. 

Now that parents are becoming more aware of self-harm and the crisis it is causing among teens, we hope that an initiative can be incited to help deter and diminish this potentially fatal condition in America's teens. Instead of keeping silent, teens need to learn about the dangers of this disorder and the healthier alternatives of coping with their emotional pain.

Communication is key when it comes to preventing self-harm in teens. Adults often make the mistake of thinking childhood and adolescence are the most carefree times in a person’s life. Although this should be true, it often is not. Teens face a myriad of pressures coming from the home, school, and their peers. All too often, these pressures can cause teens to implode and begin seeking methods to stop the inner turmoil that threatens to take them over.

Recognizing Red-flags Prevents Teens From Further Harming Themselves

Although it can be difficult to broach, parents must be vigilant in making sure their teen is coping with life in a healthy manner instead of being overwhelmed by stress. The signs a teen is struggling with self-harm include:

• Unexplained injuries 
• Wearing long-sleeved clothing at all times 
• Distancing themselves 
• Changes in behavior

If parents notice any changes in their teen, they must act appropriately by letting their children know they have noticed changes and they are concerned. Often, simply being there and listening can help a teen more than any lecture ever could. If self-harm is suspected or discovered, parents must reach out for help through Turning Winds Academic Institute.

1 in 5 Teens Girls Commit Self-harm

Self-harm among teens is a widespread, systemic problem that is growing increasingly more prevalent - teenage girls in particular. Current studies postulate that as many as 20 percent of girls commit some form of self-injury, with 70 percent engaging in potentially fatal behaviors such as cutting - Compared to boys, which are 14 and 10 percent respectively. 

It is important to keep in mind when attempting to understand the behavior of a troubled teenage girl who commits severe forms of self-harm, such as cutting themselves that, just like with any other behavioral problem or mental disorder, the underlying concern is not about other people or misconstrued 'cries for help.' Rather, this behavior is the result of an internal struggle that the teenage girl is experiencing and their ill-fated and dangerous attempts to cope with that conflict in self-destructive ways.

Preventing self-harm in teenage girls necessitates a multifaceted approach as the reasons behind why a teen engages in self-harm are not clean-cut. Generally, teen cutting exists in conjunction with other mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and oppositional defiant disorder. Unfortunately, self-harm too commonly leads to teen death, even though the original intent often isn't to commit suicide, but rather occurs on accident. Most forms of self-harm, even cutting, is to wound oneself enough as a means of alleviating mental and emotional anguish. That said, like any other form of self-destruction, acts of self-harm can incrementally become more intense, which can then evolve from suicidal ideation to suicidal actualization.