Self-harm

• People self-harm because they are in pain and trying to cope.
• They could also be trying to show that something is wrong. They need to be taken seriously.
• Self-harm is always a sign of something being seriously wrong.
• Young people may self-harm if there is a crisis in a close relationship
• Common examples include `overdosing' (self-poisoning), hitting, cutting or burning oneself, pulling hair or picking skin, or self-strangulation. 
• It can also include taking illegal drugs and excessive amounts of alcohol. 

People say different things about why they self-harm

• Some say that they have been feeling desperate about a problem and don't know where to turn for help.
• They feel trapped and helpless. Self-injury helps them to feel more in control.
• Some people talk of feelings of anger or tension that get bottled up inside, until they feel like exploding.
• Self-injury helps to relieve the tension that they feel.
• Feelings of guilt or shame may also become unbearable.
• Self-harm is a way of punishing oneself.
• Some people try to cope with very upsetting experiences, such as trauma or abuse, by convincing themselves that the upsetting event(s) never happened.
• These people sometimes suffer from feelings of 'numbness' or 'deadness'.
• They say that they feel detached from the world and their bodies, and that self-injury is a way of feeling more connected and alive.
• A proportion of young people who self-harm do so because they feel so upset and overwhelmed by difficulties that they wish to end their lives by committing suicide.
• Often, the decision to attempt suicide is made quickly without thinking.

Possible signs of self-harm

• Changes in behaviour, such as being upset, withdrawn or irritable. 
• Self-injury is often kept secret but there may be clues, such as refusing to wear short sleeves or change for PE/swimming 
• Risky behaviour, angry outbursts.
• Spending more time alone in their room, avoiding family and friends. 
• Feeling down, blaming themselves. 

Help for self-harm

• Talking to someone they trust
• Self-help group (group formed of young people that all self-harm) 
• CBT 
• Psychotherapy 
• Group therapy (lead by a professional) 

Understanding self-harm

• Young people self-harm as a way of dealing with very difficult emotions. Try to understand their feelings of distress. 
• Listen carefully to what a young person says, do not assume you know how they feel. 
• Try to be non-judgemental when dealing with incidents of self-harm. 
• Help young people to think about their self-harm not as a shameful secret, but as a problem to be sorted out.

Dealing with self-harming behaviour

• Don’t struggle with someone when they are about to self-harm – it's better to walk away and to suggest they come and talk about it rather than do it.
• If they do decide to self-harm talk calmly and request that they take care of their immediate physical needs, e.g. clean and dress wounds. 
• Try to understand the triggers that lead individual young people to self-harm.
• Help them to find out about self-harm and available help by providing information by organisations such as Young Minds. 
• Encourage the to find other ways to cope with difficult feelings. Some young people have found these strategies helpful: write down negative feelings and rip up the paper, draw or scribble in red ink, hold an ice cube until it melts, take a shower, talk to someone the trust, a friend or adult. 

School policy and protocols

• Ensure all staff are informed of the school’s self-harm protocols and safeguarding policy.