What is Self Harm?

 

Self-harm is defined as carrying out physical injury or drug overdoses regularly or at times of great stress and anxiety. It acts as a successful coping mechanism, which temporarily relieves both the emotional pain and the mental torture. It acts as a grounding device and at times provides an escape from difficult social circumstances
We view self-harm as an addiction; many people become dependent on it. It is therefore important to see the person behind the behaviour. The self-harming is a problem to be addressed but the underlying problems cannot be ignored.

 

"Deliberate self-harm is a non-factal act, whether physical injury, drug overdose or poisoning, carried our with
the knowledge that it was potentially harmful and in the excessive." (Platt et al 1988)

 

Self-harm is "Intentional self-poisoning or injury irrespective of the apparent reason" (NICE REPORT, 2004).

The Statistics?

 

At Zest we recognise that there is an increasing problem with self-harm. This is a concern in terms of the financial costs to the health service, and, more importantly, because it is a reflection of the level of emotional pain that is part of life for many people. It is also a concern that despite the extent of this problem, there is little understanding of the people who are self-harming. Evidence suggests that many people who self-harm have experienced traumatic life events.

- More 170,000 people a year seek treatment at A&E wards
- There are hidden statistics - many never present at A & E.
- Studies of 10,040 suicides who had contact with NHS found that 63% had history of self-harm.
- This is a correlation between self-harm and suicide. An individual is 100 times more likely to complete suicide in the ...year after an incident of self-harm.
- Self-harm is the most common factor preceding admission to psychiatric wards. Not mental illness/psychological ...distress.
- Repeating self-harm places considerable demands on all health services.

 

Click here to download Hospital Admissions Statistics.

Reasons for self harm

 

- Emotional Pain: sadness, grief, hopelessness, helplessness, desperation.
- Self-Hatred: shame, guilt, self-punishment
- Anger: fear, panic, frustration, hurt.
- Unreality: numbness, deadness, feeling invisible.
- Neediness: feeling unsupported or unheard.
- Communicating feelings.
- Relieving feelings.
- Feeling in control.

Examples of Self Harm

 

- Cutting
- Single / repeated overdoses
- Disfiguration of the body
- Swallowing sharp objects or foreign objects
- Inserting foreign objects into the body
- Swallowing poisonous substances
- Hair-pulling
- Head banging
- Scratching
- Excessive scrubbing of skin e.g. with sandpaper, scourers, Chinese rubs etc.
- Burning with cigarettes
- Alcohol/drug abuse
- Eating disorders
- Repeated attempted suicide

 

The most common form of self-harm is Overdosing
The second most common form is: Laceration to the arms or legs.

People who self harm say that it can…

- Help them to communicate their feelings
- Relieve these feelings
- Make them feel alive
- Make them feel in control of their lives
- Give them comfort