the truth about self harm

8/14/2019 The Truth About Self Harm

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All o the inormation here is based on the fndings o the National Inquiry into Sel-harmamong Young People. The Inquiry was carried out by two charities, The Mental HealthFoundation and The Camelot Foundation. The Inquiry panel heard evidence rom many

hundreds o people including young people who sel-harm, or have sel-harmed in the past,and those who work with or care about them. This booklet is based on what they said. Youwill see the words o young people who have sel-harmed throughout this booklet, in theorm o quotes.

For more inormation about the Inquiry and its fndings, visit www.selharmuk.org and theAppendix at the back o this booklet.

AcknowledgementsThis booklet was written by Celia Richardson, Director o Communications at the Mental Health Foundation.People who contributed include Tany Alexander, Dr Marcia Brophy (Project Manager, National Inquiry), Susan Elizabeth(Director o The Camelot Foundation), Dr Andrew McCulloch (Chie Executive o the Mental Health Foundation)and Graeme Sandell.

We would particularly like to thank siari.co.uk, or allowing us to use some o their inormation in this booklet.

For a ull list o contributors to the National Inquiry, see the Truth Hurts report on the Inquiry websitewww.selharmuk.org


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the truth about sel-harm | 1

ContentsIntroduction

Understanding self-harmWhat is sel-harm? 5Who does it? 6Why do young people sel-harm? 7Myths and stereotypes 9Is sel-harm linked to suicide? 9

How do people sel-harm? 9How does it start? 11Is it addictive? 11How do young people eel about harming themselves? 11What are the signs that someone is sel-harming? 11

Talking about self-harmWhy do people sel-harm in secret? Why dont they ask or help? 13Should I tell people that I am harming mysel? 14What is the best way to tell someone I have harmed mysel? 16

Who can I tell? 17What i someone tells me they are sel-harming? 18What i I discover my son or daughter or someone I care or is sel-harming? 19

Getting helpWhat sort o help is available or young people who sel-harm? 21How can I stop harming mysel? 21What i I think someone is sel-harming but they wont talk about it? 22How do I stop someone rom sel-harming? 22

Substitutes or sel-harm 23How do I recover rom eeling the need to harm mysel? 25Looking ater yoursel-or good 26Where can I get urther help and inormation? 27

Appendix The National Inquiry into sel-harm and its recommendations 28


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2 | the truth about sel-harm

To harm other people is

understandable in ourculture but to willingly

harm yourself is thoughtof as perverted.


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IntroductionSel-harm is a very common problem, and many people are struggling to deal with it. Perhaps you eel or have elt theneed to harm yoursel. Perhaps you have been sel-harming or some time. Or maybe you have a riend, brother orsister or a son or daughter who is sel-harming, or someone you teach or work with is doing it and you need to knowmore.

This booklet is or anyone who wants to understand sel-harm among young people - why it happens, how to dealwith it, and how to recover rom what can become a very destructive cycle.

Sel-harm can be di cult to understand both or those who do it and also or those who care about them. It is alsoa subject that has not received much attention up until now, and is still treated as taboo by many. But it happens alot more than people think.

The most important thing to understand is that you can recover rom the pattern o sel-harm, and rom eeling theurge to harm yoursel.


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Dont get me wrong, not

in a heartbeat do I thinkthat self-harm is a good or

positive thing, or anythingbesides a heart-breaking

desperate act that saddens

me every time I hear about

it. But theres a reason why

people do it.


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Understanding self-harmMany fnd it almost impossible to understand why young people harm themselves, and how it could possibly helpthem to eel better. By deliberately hurting their bodies, young people oten say they can change their state o mindso that they can cope better with other pain they are eeling. They may be using physical pain as a way o distractingthemselves rom emotional pain. Others are conscious o a sense o release. For some, especially those who eelemotionally scarred, it may be a way to wake up in situations where they are so numb they cant eel anything.Overall, sel-harm is a way o dealing with intense emotional pain.

Sel-harm has a huge impact on the day-to-day lie o those who do it. They will oten try hard to keep what theyre

doing secret, and to hide their scars and bruises. But the burden o guilt and secrecy is di cult to carry. It can aecteverything rom what they wear to the kinds o sports and physical activities they take part in, as well as close physicalrelationships with others, including sexual relationships.

Ultimately, because young people who do it are all too aware o the stigma o sel-harm, it can aect theirrelationships with riends and amily and their sense o sel-worth. Young people start sel-harming to cope with theirproblems and eelings, but it very soon creates other serious problems. It can set up an addictive pattern o behaviour,rom which it can be very hard to break ree.

What is sel-harm?The phrase sel-harm is used to describe a range o things that people do to themselves in a deliberate and usuallyhidden way. It can involve:

cutting

burning

scalding

banging or scratching ones own body

breaking bones

hair pulling

swallowing poisonous substances or objects


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Who does it?Research shows that 1 in 15 young people in Britain have harmed themselves. Another way o looking at it is thatthere are probably two young people in every secondary school classroom who have done it at some time. Thismeans its a very common problem.

Most young people who harm themselves are aged between 11 and 25. The age at which most people start is 12, butsome children as young as 7 have been known to do it.

There is no such thing as a typical young person who sel-harms. About our times as many girls as boys do it. Butit is also a serious problem among young men. Because they are more likely to do things like hitting themselves orbreaking their own bones it can look as i they have had an accident, a fght or have been attacked.

Some very young children sel-harm, and some adults too. Groups o people who are more vulnerable to sel-harmthan others include:

young people in residential settings like the armed orces, prison, sheltered housing or hostels and boardingschools

lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people

young Asian women

young people with learning disabilities

I felt a warm sense of relief, as though

all the bad things about me were

flowing out of me and it made me feel

alive, real.


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Why do young people sel-harm?As one young person put it, many people sel-harm to get out the hurt, anger and pain caused by pressures in theirlives. They harm themselves because they dont know what else to do and because they dont have, or dont eel theyhave, any other options.

For some young people, sel-harm gives temporary relie and a sense o control over their lives. But it brings its ownvery serious problems.

When asked about the issues that led them to sel-harm, young people most oten said it was linked with:

Being bullied at school

Stress and worry about school work and exams

Feeling isolated

Not getting on with parents or other amily members

Parents getting divorced

Bereavement

Unwanted pregnancy

Experience o abuse earlier in childhood

Current abuse physical, sexual or verbal

The sel-harm or suicide o someoneclose to them

Problems to do with sexuality

Problems to do with race, culture or religion

Low sel-esteem

Feelings o rejection socially or within their amilies

I you are being abused, it is vital that you get help. Please see the Where can I get urther help and inormation?section at the end o this booklet.


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Some people do it for

attention... that doesntmean they should be

ignored. There are plenty ofways to get attention, why

cause yourself pain? And if

someones crying for help,you should give them it, not

stand there and judge theway theyre asking for it.


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Myths and stereotypesThere are lots o these attached to sel-harm. This isnt surprising myths and misunderstandings oten arise when aproblem is, like sel-harm, poorly understood.

Negative stereotypes can be powerul. They need to be challenged because they stop young people rom comingorward or help. They also mean that proessionals, amily and riends are much more likely to react in a hostile way toyoung people who sel-harm.

Some o the most common stereotypes are that sel-harm is about attention seeking. Most sel-harm is actually donein secret, or a long time and it can be very hard or young people to fnd enough courage to ask or help.

Sel-harm is sometimes seen as a group activity especially when young people are goths. But its very rarely a groupactivity. Young people told the Inquiry that they couldnt say how many people they knew who sel-harmed, because

no one wants to talk about it. The Inquiry could fnd no evidence to support the belie that this behaviour may bepart o a particular youth sub-culture.

Is sel-harm linked to suicide?It is oten the belie that sel-harm is closely linked to suicide that rightens people most. But the vast majority o

young people who sel-harm are not trying to kill themselves they are trying to cope with di cult eelings andcircumstances or many it is a way o staying alive. Many people who commit suicide have sel-harmed in the past,and this is one o the many reasons that sel-harm must be taken very seriously.

How do people sel-harm?As shown earlier, there are lots o ways o sel-harming. The most common is cutting yoursel.People who sel-harm tend to go to great lengths to keep it secret. Young people can be hurting themselves overlong periods o time without ever telling riends or amily. They hardly ever seek medical attention or support.

Almost all sel-harm is done in private, and on parts o the body that are not visible to others.


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How does it start?Many young people say that when they frst harm themselves they believe it is a one-o and that they wont do itagain. But it doesnt solve the problems they are trying to cope with, and their di cult eelings soon come back again,leading them into a cycle o harming themselves to try to cope.

Some young people have told us that they started to sel-harm by accident when they injured themselvesaccidentally and then started to cause themselves injuries on purpose to create the same eelings again.

Is it really addictive?

It is habit-orming, and some people believe you can become physically addicted to sel-harm. There is evidenceto show that chemicals, called endogenous opioids are released when the body is injured in any way. They arepleasurable and can make you less sensitive to pain. However, sel-harm is not simply about chasing physical pleasureor relie through artifcially stimulating a natural reaction it has to be understood or what it means to the youngperson who does it. Oten it is a way o coping or distracting yoursel, that is habit-orming. In other words, youngpeople get used to it, and come to rely on it.

How do young people eel about harming themselves?Young people who sel-harm usually eel very guilty and ashamed o what they do, and do not want to talk about it.The stigma associated with sel-harm is unhelpul, and stops people getting the support and inormation they needto fnd better and more helpul ways o coping.

What are the signs that someone is sel-harming?It is very di cult to tell whether someone is sel-harming. One sign might be that they insist on covering up theirbodies even when it is warm. They may avoid activities that involve showing themselves such as swimming orgames. Secretive behaviour, and wanting to be alone lots can also be a sign.

Many o the usual signs o emotional distress becoming withdrawn, quiet, appearing washed out and lackingenergy, can also be signs that someone is sel-harming.


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I feel a lot more confident. Ive

learned to be more open aboutmy feelings and been able to

move on. I felt that, without

them knowing, I was being heldback. Ive been able to come out

of myself and explain what I do,

and make sense of it, not keephaving to lie and cover up what I

did. I no longer feel ashamed as I

know people are supporting me.


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Talking about self-harm

Why do people sel-harm in secret? Why dont they ask or help?When we asked young people who have sel-harmed what stopped them rom seeking help, they oten said that atfrst they thought the behaviour was a one o, and it was only ater a ew times that they ound they couldnt stop.

But one o the biggest ears young people told us about, and the biggest obstacle to getting help, was the ear thatsel-harm, the only coping strategy that had been keeping them going, might be taken away rom them.

They also said that they thought they could cope on their own, or that they were planning to sort things out anddidnt need any help.

Many young people were worried about what others would think o them, when they ound out they were hurtingthemselves intentionally. They were also worried that they would not be taken seriously. Many eared that no onewould understand why they had done it, or would be able to help them. Girls were particularly sensitive about beinglabelled or dismissed as being an attention seeker or stupid i they asked or help.

Most young people elt that they would not sel-harm again, and they wanted to put the act that they had done itto the back o their minds. Boys in particular elt that the situation and their injuries were not serious enough to askor help. Very ew young people understood at the beginning that things might change or the worse again, and thatthey could come to depend on harming themselves to cope with their lives.

Many young people said they did not have anyone they elt they could talk to apart, sometimes, rom close riends.They certainly didnt know how to contact support services. Some were worried that i they were open about theirsel-harm, this could aect their choices or the uture: they were worried they wouldnt be able to work in proessionssuch as teaching, nursing, or childcare because o perceptions that people who sel-harm are dangerous and shouldnot be allowed to work with children.

Young people also told us they were worried that their secret would become public property and that they wouldlose control over the situation and who knew about it, once they told someone else.


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Should I tell someone that I am harming mysel?Yes, because this is oten the frst step to getting out o the cycle.

It isnt always simple or easy, and could be one o the most di cult but most important things you do. Young people

have told us that the reaction they got when they frst told someone about their sel-harm was very important indeciding whether or not they looked or and got urther help.

While some young people have experienced negative attitudes when they have told someone, it is possible toget good support rom people who understand sel-harm, or who care about you and your eelings, not just thebehaviour itsel.

I you are worried about the person you tell sharing the inormation with others, you can choose to tell a healthproessional like a doctor or a nurse to start with, or a counsellor. You can also telephone a helpline (see where to get

help section). These people have a duty to keep it to themselves while you get used to the idea o telling others. Theycan oer you help and advice while you prepare.

Unortunately, some young people told us that they elt orced into discussing their sel-harm, or example by teachersor health proessionals who had guessed what was going on. Some young people elt very distressed by the idea thatthese workers would tell others like ellow teachers or their parents. I this happens to you, you could try explainingthat sel-harm is a coping mechanism and not the same as suicidal behaviour.

You can ask them what will happen next, once you have told them, and who else they plan to tell or involve. You

can ask them not to tell particular people. You can even ask them not to tell anyone at all, although this can be verydi cult or the other person, and it can mean you do not get all o the help and support that you need.


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The one thing that always

helps if Im feeling reallybad is to be around someone

that I trust. I may look bad

and not be very talkative but just being around someone

who doesnt question my odd

behaviour and lets me be

around them without talking

or expectations helps.


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What is the best way to tell someone that I have harmed mysel?It can be a very worrying decision, and it can be hard to decide who to tell and how to tell them. Telling someoneabout your sel-harm shows strength and courage. But it can oten be a huge relie to be able to let go o such asecret, or at least share it.

The most important thing o all is that you eel comortable with who you decide to tell, what you tell them, whenand where. Dont eel pressured into answering questions or saying more than you want to. You can set the pace.Remember, i you want to tell a proessional or amily member, you can take a riend with you to support you.

There are many ways o telling people and there are no rules about how it should be done. You can speak tosomeone, write to or email them, or even just show them your injuries or scars and let that pave the way to talkingabout it. I you tell someone in writing, think about taking some time to talk to them aterwards, as well.

It is very important, i you can, to try to ocus on the eelings or situation that led you to start harming yoursel, ratherthan on the behaviour itsel. This can help people eel less bewildered about why you might be doing it.

Revealing sel-harm to someone can bring out a wide range o eelings in them, both positive and negative. Theperson you tell may need some time to get used to what you have told them and think about their response, so tryto give this to them. They may well be able to respond more positively ater some time has passed and they have hadthe chance to think over what you have said. It can be helpul to them to know why you are telling them whetheryou just want to let go o a secret you have carried on your own, or you would like their help or advice.

As hard as telling someone may be or you, it may also be very hard or the person you choose to tell especially iit is someone close to you. They may need to get support or themselves, both beore and ater talking about it withyou.

Try to be prepared or the act that sometimes your situation can eel worse immediately ater telling someone. Butonce you are over this hurdle, there is usually support available to help you recover even i the support is throughriends or amily.


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Who can I tell?A major actor in how the person you tell responds will be the kind o relationship they have with you, and how wellthey know you. A parent who might eel they are very close to you may be more shocked, or example, than a nurse.

Most people (no matter who they are, a riend, a parent, a teacher or a proessional) dont really understand sel-harm,and its hard to predict how someone will react when you tell them. Try to keep in mind that they may have a rangeo eelings, and one o them will most likely be shock.

Young people have told us that the people they have been able to talk to included:

Friends young people said they were ar more likely to talk it over with riends their own age than anyone else

Family members

Someone at school but not necessarily a teacher you know well

Telephone help lines were also mentioned

Internet support: not many people had looked or help on the internet, but there are some useul sources online.

A doctor or nurse

Some young people have said that the reaction they got when talking to health workers was unhelpul. In this caseyou can always seek urther help. Many GPs and nurses will be sympathetic, and know how to help and no-oneshould be put o rom seeking help because o negative attitudes.


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What i someone tells me they are sel-harming?The reaction a young person receives when they disclose their sel-harm has a major impact on whether they go onto get help and recover. What young people who sel-harm need is understanding, care and concern or their injuries,time and support as well as encouragement to talk about the underlying eelings or situations that have led them toharm themselves. Getting angry, shouting, or accusing them is likely to aggravate the situation.

Young people who have sel-harmed want responses that are non-judgemental, caring and respectul. Its very

important to see the person, and the reasons they have harmed themselves, and not just to ocus on the harm itsel.Its also important to allow the young person to take the discussion at their own pace.

Most importantly, you should try to hear about sel-harm without panic, revulsion or condemnation. This can be hardas its di cult to understand, but remember, it is quite common, and it s usually used as a way o coping by youngpeople.

I you are a riend o the person who is sel-harming, you might have some o the same reactions that a parent would disbelie, ear or your riend, worry about what to do or the best. The person may tell you but want you to keep it a

secret. This can leave you eeling distressed and isolated, with no-one to talk to yoursel.

Many people stop hurting themselves when the

time is right for them. Everyone is different and

if they feel the need to self-harm at the moment,they shouldnt feel guilty about it it is a way

of surviving, and doing it now does NOT mean that

they will need to do it forever. It is a huge step

towards stopping when they begin to talk about it,

because it means that they are starting to think

about what might take its place eventually.


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Working out what to do, or trying to decide how much danger your riend is in, is not easy. It may be useul to try oneo the places to go or urther help that is listed in this booklet. It may also be helpul, i you are a young person, tofnd someone older that you trust and believe you can confde in.

Occasionally, someone may reveal to you that they have harmed themselves immediately ater they have injured

themselves perhaps more than they meant to. They may be worried that they have done lasting damage. I thishappens it is best to see that their injuries are attended to and they have time to recover rom any physical traumabeore exploring the reasons behind it.

What i I discover my son or daughter or someone I care or is

sel-harming?Try to be accepting and open-minded. Let the person know you are there or them, and reassure them that they areloved. Assure them that its okay to talk about their need to sel-harm, and reassure them that they have your supporteven i you dont understand why they are doing it or what they are going through.

Oer to lend a hand in getting them proessional help; rom a GP, counsellor, therapist, or community psychiatricnurse. But try to avoid taking control-many people who sel-harm eel it is an important way o having some controlover their lives. Try to not to take it too personally i your son or daughter cannot talk to you because you are too

close.

Avoid giving ultimatums; or example, stop or else as they rarely work, and may well drive the behaviourunderground, and you might not get any urther chances to discuss the topic and really deal with it. Sel-harm can bevery addictive, and i a person eels the need to do it, they will normally fnd a way. It is important that the decision tostop comes rom the person who is sel-harming.

Find out more. There are a growing number o useul books on the topic o sel-harm, as well as some inormativewebsites. Educating yoursel on the subject can go a long way towards helping you be understanding and

supportive.Try to sort out your own eelings. Be honest with yoursel about how your daughter or sons sel-harm is aecting you.Its not unusual to eel hurt, devastated, shocked, angry, sad, rightened, guilty, responsible, hopeless, or powerless. Itsnot easy knowing that a loved one is hurting him or hersel, and it might be worth considering seeing a counsellor ortherapist or yoursel i you are struggling to cope with strong emotions or eel in need o support.

Remember, fnding out that someone is sel-harming is a real opportunity to help them deal with many otherproblems they are having.


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It dawned on me that

continually harming myselfwas not allowing me to grow;

it was just proving that I was

still here and I could feel.But it wasnt letting me push

things forward, and unlessI stopped doing that I would

be in the same wretched

situation forever.


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Getting help

What sort o help is available or young people who sel-harm?Most young people who have ound help say that having someone to listen to them and help them to work onsolutions to their problems and stresses is the most helpul thing o all. This is why counselling or another type otalking therapy is useul. Ask your doctor to reer you to a counsellor or psychotherapist.

Over-18s who talk to health proessionals about their sel-harm fnd that some o them are very keen to prescribe drugssuch as anti-depressants. You may or may not want to try these as part o your recovery plan.

There may also be sel-help groups that you can contact, where you can meet other people who have been throughsimilar experiences to you. This can be very helpul. See page 27 or urther inormation.

How can I stop harming mysel?Most importantly, try to ocus on the eelings that seem to lead you to sel-harm, and what is causing them. You may

need the help o riends, amily, a counsellor or psychotherapist, or a doctor or nurse. This is why asking or help isso important. Earlier on in this booklet you will fnd lots o inormation about telling someone that you are harmingyoursel. This is oten the frst step towards getting the help you need.

By fnding out what makes you happy, sad, angry, isolated, vulnerable or strong, you can start developing other wayso dealing with these situations and eelings. It may help just to stop and give yoursel time to think them through.I you eel the need to harm yoursel, give yoursel a goal o getting through the next ten minutes without doing so,and try to ocus on what is making you eel that way.

I you dont eel you can stop straight away, start fnding other things that help you to deal with your moods andeelings. This should help you to harm yoursel less and less requently ater a while and the more eort you put in, theless strong the need to harm yoursel will become.

One o the most useul things that other young people have done is to learn distraction methods. These are specialways o fnding a release without doing yoursel any real damage. Some o the most popular, tried and tested ways odistracting yoursel ollow.


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What i I think someone is sel-harming but theywont talk about it?This can be very di cult. It is oten best to discuss how the person is eeling and explain that you have noticed

changes in their behaviour, rather than asking straight out. Sel-harm can be a di cult subject to introduce, so take itslowly.

How do I stop someone rom sel-harming?It may be very di cult i someone you care about is sel-harming, but trying to orce them to stop doesnt work. It

is very clear that sel-harm in many cases is a pattern o behaviour that may have gone on or a long time, and mostyoung people would fnd it virtually impossible to give up overnight, even i they wanted to. Feeling in control issomething that young people who sel-harm say is very important to them. The good news is that being able totake control is one o the most important actors in the ability to recover rom a pattern o sel-harm, too. It is veryimportant that the decision to stop comes rom the person who is sel-harming.

For many young people stopping or reducing their sel-harm is a long and slow process. Young people need theopportunity to build up their coping skills gradually, and may go on harming themselves or some time.

It can take time or young people to reach the point where they can start to give up. In the meantime, learning howto cause themselves the least possible damage can be crucial, and the frst step in their journey to learning otherways to deal with di cult eelings. This is called harm reduction and you can fnd out more about this rom otherorganisations like Siari (see page 27 or details).

For most o the young people we spoke to, the recovery process began with tackling the underlying problems thatwere causing their sel-harm. This sometimes involved counselling, sharing their problems, or tackling bullies. Helpinga young person to tackle their underlying problems is something you can very useully do.

They also broke the habit by learning new coping strategies or using distraction techniques (see next section) whenthey elt the urge to hurt themselves. Dierent people need dierent distraction methods, and may need dierentthings or dierent moods or situations. Finding what is most helpul takes time, but young people who havepersisted with it emphasise that trial and error will fnd something that works.


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Substitutes or sel-harmYoung people have shared their most successul ones with us, and these are:

using a red elt tip pen to mark where you might usually cut

hitting a punch bag to vent anger and rustrationhitting pillows or cushions, or having a good scream into a pillow or cushion

rubbing ice across your skin where you might usually cut, or holding an ice-cubein the crook o your arm or leg

getting outdoors and having a ast walk

all other orms o exercise these are really good at changing your moodand releasing adrenaline

making lots o noise, either with a musical instrument or just banging on pots and pans

writing negative eelings on a piece o paper and then ripping it up

keeping a journal

scribbling on a large piece o paper with a red crayon or pen

putting elastic bands on wrists, arms or legs and icking them instead o cutting or hitting

calling and talking to a riend (not necessarily about sel-harm)

collage or artwork doing something creative

going online and looking at sel-help websites


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Ive tried so many distraction

techniques from holding an ice-

cube, elastic band flicking on the

wrist, writing down my thoughts,

hitting a pillow, listening to

music, writing down pros and cons.

But the most helpful to my recovery

was the five minutes rule, where

if you feel like you want to self-harm you wait for five minutes

before you do, then see if you can go

another five minutes, and so on tilleventually the urge is over.


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How I do recover rom eeling the need to sel-harm?Some o the inormation in the section about how to stop sel-harming covers dealing with the eelings that makeyou want to do it. This is vitally important i you want to break the habit in the long term.

Its important to remember that you wont always eel the way you do now. Some o the problems that are causingyou to sel-harm will go away sometimes with and sometimes without your help.

Young people who have recovered rom needing to sel-harm say that changes over time, or example moving home,changing schools, fnishing exams, going to university, changing jobs or changed fnancial circumstances have helpedthem to recover. Once one or two o the original actors (such as their amily situation, or bullying at school) wereremoved, they elt they didnt have to use sel-harm as a coping strategy. Sometimes, just the sense o things movingon was enough to help them stop.

Other ways to help yoursel are to listen to the many other young people who have moved on in their lives, and areeeling strong and happy. Many o their voices are present in this booklet in the orm o quotes. And you will fnd manyothers on the websites o organisations set up to help people in your position. You may want to get together with otheryoung people going through similar things to you perhaps using sel-help groups or the Internet.

Accept help, wherever and whenever you can get it. For young people too used to carrying burdens on their own, itcan be harder to receive than to give. Part o your recovery may involve trusting people enough to let them help you.When the time is right, you may be able to help others in your turn

Take time you dont have to recover overnight. It can be a slow process. Dont expect miracles rom yoursel or romanyone else. Learn how to care or yoursel.


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Looking ater yoursel - or goodIts important to look ater your mental health, always. Following are some o the best ways o doing it.

Eat well. A healthy, and balanced diet is vital or your mental well-being. A diet rich in carbohydrates is thoughtto increase levels o serotonin in the brain, which is thought to improve mood. Mood swings, depression, anxietyand restlessness which can be related to diet are oten said by young people to be triggers or their sel-harm. Caeine can produce a temporary high, but in the long term it can lead to sleeping problems, and an overstimulated nervous system, which raises anxiety levels (which in turn is linked to depression). To fnd out more visitwww.mentalhealth.org.uk

Avoid alcohol, or drink sensibly. Alcohol can leave you eeling depressed or anxious, and can lower your inhibitionsphysically, which can lead you back to harming yoursel.

Take lots o exercise. Its one o the best ways to look ater your mental health and a quick burst o exercise can

even help you change your mood almost instantly. Frequent exercise can help young people who sel-harm reduceanxiety, decrease depression, improve mood, think better and can actually improve their sense o sel worth.It can help you look and eel better, which is vital or people who have low sel esteem and worry about theirappearance. Exercise is now used to treat mental health problems like depression its something you can do orever and it doesnt have the stigma that some people associate with counselling or therapy or antidepressants.

Do something youre good at. This is one o the best ways o looking ater your mental health. Perhaps you can dosomething creative, a sport or a hobby. Perhaps youre good at looking ater other people.

Stay in touch. Friends are important. Keeping up with old riends and making new riends can keep you mentallyand emotionally well. Try joining a new book club or sports or other activity group.

Ask or help whenever and however you need it. Identiy the people who can help you, who you trust. Thesepeople make up your most important support network, and can help you deal with crises and problems in theuture without you turning back to sel-harm.

Dont drive yoursel too hard. Many young people who sel-harm are high-achievers, and sometimes they putthemselves under too much pressure. Sometimes its OK or your work or your perormance to be good enough.


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Where can I get urther help and inormation?Sel-help and support groups are very popular with young people who sel-harm as they enable them to explore theireelings, why they do it, and how they cope. These groups help young people to eel less isolated, fnd riendshipsand they oer a sae place to talk openly and honestly without earing the responses they might get. These groups

may or may not be available, depending on where you live. To fnd out more, it is worth asking your doctor or nurse,or visiting your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau. You may also fnd them by searching on the Internet.

Websites and internet orums have become increasingly popular with young people as a way to access inormationand support or a range o dierent issues including sel-harm. Many young people especially young men, who tendnot to engage in traditional ace-to-ace services fnd this useul. It is important that young people know where toget good inormation. Some websites that have been recommended to us by young people include:

www.siari.co.uk

www.youthnet.org

www.liesigns.org.uk

www.childline.org.uk

www.samaritans.org.uk

www.selharm.org.uk

Some telephone helplines oer specialist advice on sel-harm, others operate only as a riendly listening ear something many young people have said they value, particularly when they eel they have no-one else that they canturn to. Again, its important that inormation about reputable phone lines is widely available to young people. Helpultelephone numbers include:

ChildLine 0800 1111

Samaritans 08457 90 90 90Parentline Plus 0808 800 2222

NSPCC 0808 800 5000

There are now more counselling services available some through special organisations set up to help people whosel-harm. Ask your doctor to reer you to a counsellor, contact your local council, or visit your nearest Citizens AdviceBureau to fnd out what counselling services are available near you.


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Appendix

The National Inquiry into sel-harm and its recommendations

The Inquiry ound that lots more needs to be done to help young people who sel-harm, or who may turn to it inthe uture. I you would like urther inormation, the Inquiry website will point you in the right direction.

The Inquiry had many fndings and recommendations, mostly or central Government departments and various

groups o proessionals. They included:A call or Government to pay more attention to the issue o sel-harm, because it aects so many youngpeoples lives

An expressed need or research to fnd out which young people sel-harm, including understanding howethnicity, gender, and sexuality aect sel-harm

A need or more research to fnd out why certain environments like closed residential settings seem to bemore likely to trigger sel-harm, and what can be done to change these environments

A call or Government to run a national awareness campaign, so that people can better understand whyyoung people sel-harm

More work in schools including whole-school approaches, to see how they work to prevent sel-harm andhelp young people who are doing it

Proessionals, such as teachers, youth workers, nurses and GPs need training and support in how to deal withyoung people who sel-harm


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Parents also need support in how to respond to a disclosure o sel-harm, and where to go to fnd help. Youngpeople need guidance that clearly sets out their rights and tells them what they should expect when theydisclose their sel-harm to the proessionals they are in contact with.

There is a need or much better web-based inormation on sel-harm, including inormation about supportservices around the UK

Support with sel-harm should always be oered in settings where the young person eels comortable

Any organization working with young people who sel-harm should have a ormal policy (or set o rules) toguide their work. They must take care to measure and record how eective their work is.

In hospitals in England and Wales, A&E services already have guidelines or how they are supposed totreat young people who sel-harm. There is an urgent need to check that they are putting the guidelines

into practice.A&E guidelines must be developed or Scotland and Northern Ireland

One o the most important fndings o the Inquiry is that many young people preer to turn to other youngpeople or support. We need more inormation on how peer support schemes, where student mentors aretrained to support other students who are having problems, could be helpul or young people who sel-harm.

About the Mental Health Foundation


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About the Mental Health Foundation

Founded in 1949, the Mental Health Foundation is the leading UK charity working in mental health and learning disabilities.

We are unique in the way we work. We bring together teams that undertake research, develop services, design training, inuence policy andraise public awareness within one organisation. We are keen to tackle di cult issues and try dierent approaches, many o them led by service

users themselves. We use our fndings to promote survival, recovery and prevention. We do this by working with statutory and voluntaryorganisations, rom GP practices to primary schools. We enable them to provide better help or people with mental health problems orlearning disabilities, and promote mental well-being.

We also work to inuence policy, including Government at the highest levels. We use our knowledge to raise awareness and to help tacklestigma attached to mental illness and learning disabilities. We reach millions o people every year through our media work, inormationbooklets and online services. We can only continue our work with the support o many individuals, charitable trusts and companies.To support our work, please visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Mental Health Foundation Scotland Of ce

Sea Containers House Merchants House20 Upper Ground 30 George SquareLondon, SE1 9QB Glasgow, G2 1EG020 7803 1100 0141 572 0125

Registered charity number 801130

About the Camelot Foundation

The Camelot Foundation is one o the UKs most imaginative grant making oundations. With an annual donation o 2 million romCamelot Group plc, the Foundation works to support marginalised young people across the UK.

Using a combination o grant giving and direct programme development, the Foundation aims to make a real dierence to the liveso the most disadvantaged young people and to show that they have a positive role to play in shaping their own utures and the utureo their communities.

Camelot Foundation

University House11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place

London, SW1W 0EX020 7828 6085www.camelotoundation.org.uk

Registered charity number 1060606

For more inormation about the National Inquiry into Sel-harm among Young People visit:www.selharmuk.org

ISBN 978-1-903645-85-7 Camelot Foundation & Mental Health Foundation 2006

the truth about self harm

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