Self-Injury:
A Guide for Teens
Your teen years can be the most complicated phase of your life. Some of your challenges include: harder school work, changes in relationships, and changes in your body. Sometimes it can be hard to handle the feelings that come with these changes, while you're also trying to manage the day-to-day of teen life. Some teens have a harder time balancing out their feelings and may turn to harmful activities like drinking, using drugs, or self-injury. This guide was created to help you understand self-injury, and how you can get help for yourself or a friend.
What is self-injury?
When you hurt your body on purpose it is called "self-injury." Other names for self-injury are "cutting", "self-harm", or "self-mutilation." Some ways that people hurt themselves are by cutting, scratching, picking, or burning their body.
People who self-injure sometimes hurt themselves repeatedly, and often have scars. While you are self-injuring you might not feel pain, and might do more damage than you mean to.
Why do people self-injure?
People who injure themselves are experiencing overwhelming feelings, like extreme anxiety or tension, and in the moment self-injury may seem to provide a feeling of escape or relief. Some people also experience "depersonalization," which is when a person doesn't feel real, or feels she is outside of her body watching herself. People who feel this way might cut or harm themselves to help themselves feel "real" again. Others cut or injure themselves as a way of punishing themselves. Many people who self-injure have a history of physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and have a sense of shame about themselves.
Most people who self-injure haven't yet learned healthier ways to cope with negative feelings. Although you might feel stuck in a pattern of injuring yourself, there is definitely a way out.
Is self-injury the same as being suicidal?
No, but sometimes injuries can be severe enough to cause death, and sometimes people who self-injure may become suicidal.
If you, or someone you know is feeling suicidal
you should get professional help immediately.
Tell a parent, an adult you trust, or someone who can help right
away. If you can't get someone to help you or do not know what
to do, call 911 or go to the closest hospital emergency room. |
What should I do if I self-injure?
It is very important to ask for help if you or someone you know self-injures. Talk to an adult you trust, such as a parent, relative, guidance counselor or your health care provider. Friends can be very supportive, but it is important that you tell an adult too.
When you talk to a trusted adult, tell them you have been self-injuring, and that you want to stop. Ask them for support, and ask them to help you find resources and make a plan for stopping.
Special note: if you have a cut that is infected,
or that won't stop bleeding, you will need to get first aid
right away. |
Can I stop hurting myself?
Yes, you can stop. Stopping self-injury is like quitting abusing drugs or alcohol. It's a challenge, but with support and a good plan, you can do it! You can find healthier ways to handle your intense feelings, and you can learn to take good care of yourself.
Deciding to stop self-injuring is a decision that you will have to make for yourself—but it is a lot easier with the support of family, friends, and a health care provider.
The first thing you should know is that you
are a good person, and that your body and mind deserve good
care. You may not have heard that very often in your life, but
it is important to know this basic truth about yourself! Knowing
this can inspire you to learn healthier ways of coping with
stress. |
How do I stop hurting myself in the moment?
It's important to find ways to soothe or focus yourself when you feel like self-injuring. Make a list of non-harmful things that help you feel relaxed and real, like playing a sport, meditating, drawing, or playing an instrument. Keep this list where you can see it so when you feel like hurting yourself you will have other options and you can choose to do something else.
Here are some ways to use up nervous energy:
Here are some ways to relax and de-stress:
Many teens find that keeping busy and spending time with good friends and family helps the most.
How can I recover from self-injury?
Self-injury is a symptom of deeper emotional pain. Getting counseling or psychotherapy can help you better understand your feelings and your life situation. A counselor or therapist can help you figure out why you hurt yourself, what situations put you at risk, and what steps you can take to learn healthier ways to deal with intense emotions. If you are also dealing with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, a therapist can address those too. Sometimes a healthcare provider may recommend medication as part of your overall plan for recovering from self-injury.
Making the decision to stop
self-injuring is a big first step. Remember that learning
healthier ways to handle intense feelings will take time.
The key to recovering is to get support from people who care
about you, and treatment from a therapist or counselor. You
deserve this change, so keep working on it, and remember,
you are not alone in your recovery! |
How can I help a friend who self-injures?
If you have a friend who self-injures there are steps you can take to help them stop, and help them recover.
First, suggest to your friend that they talk to an adult they trust, like a parent, school counselor, or their health care provider. Second, support your friend by listening to them, and letting them know you care about them. Lastly, print out this guide, or some other information on self-injury, and give it to them. They can read it when they feel ready.
If your friend won't talk to an adult, and refuses help, you should find a trusted adult who knows your friend, and talk to that person. Tell an adult even if your friend asked you to keep their self-injury a secret! Your friend might get angry at you, but in this situation, it's more important to get help. Self-injury is very serious and can be deadly, and your friend's safety is more important than privacy right now. Your friend might be mad at you for a while, but you can apologize and talk about it later, after you know they're safe.
Resources
Web Sites
Focus Adolescent Services—Self Injury
SIARI—Self-Injury And Related Issues
Books
The Scarred Soul: Understanding and Ending Self-Inflicted Violence by (1997).
Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers by (1999).
Bodies Under Siege: Self-Mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry by (1996).
Cutting the Pain Away by (1999).
Girl, Interrupted by (1994).
Skin Game by (2000).
Cutting by (1998).
Cut by (2000).
Women Who Hurt Themselves: A Book of Hope and Understanding by (1994).
A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain by (1998).
Updated: 11/10/2005
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