Definition
Self-injury is defined as a variety of forms of self-harm without a death wish. It is common to use knifes and razors to cut one's skin. It sometimes includes biting, hitting, or bruising oneself; picking or pulling at skin or hair; burning oneself with lighted cigarettes, or amputating parts of the body
There are studies that shows that social media can increase cases of self-injuries throughout the world. People can find images of self-harm on the internet. This could be a cause of some people's self-harming behaviour.
There are studies that shows that social media can increase cases of self-injuries throughout the world. People can find images of self-harm on the internet. This could be a cause of some people's self-harming behaviour.
Facts and statistics
In 2013 it occurred about 3.3 million cases of self-harm. Self-harm usually appeares between the ages of 12 and 25. It's not as ordinairy in adulthood and young adulthood but it can happen to anyone in anytime (including in the elderly population). Self-harm in childhood is relatively rare but the rate has been increasing since the 1980s. It's a higher risk of serious injuries or suicides is for elder people who self-harm. Self-harm can also appear in the animal world. Animals such as birds and monkeys have been documented hurting themselves.In Europe, the UK has one of the highest rates of self-harm. Approximately one in every 130 people have hurt themselves at some point in the UK.
Causes
There are several causes of self-injuries. Here are some of them :
- when a person is angry or ashamed of him or herself
- when a person has experienced anxiety, the self-harm becomes a relief
- when a person wants to stop body's responses to pain
- when a person experiences female harrassment due to cultural and social aspects, self-injuries is common
- when a person feels „numb or dead”, self-harming is a way of feeling alive
Cures
It is important that friends and family are observant of the signs of self-harm, and that is the easiest way to prevent it. Following are some red flags you can look for:
- Wounds or scars that can't be explained by the person
- Blood stains on towels, clothes, sheets etc.
- Several unexplained accidents. The person starts to become clumsy.
- The person tends to isolate him or herself.
Here are some tips to prevent self-harming, both for the person that cuts her or himself and for family and friends:
- A person who cut her or himself needs attention. In this situation, building trust is important.
- A person who hurts her or himself needs a friend that can support.
- Friends and family need to be patient. Sometime it's hard to put your feelings into words, so the most important thing is to show support and love.
- There are help to find on the Internet. Here are some institutions: Polish institutes; „ Fundacja Kairos” , „Fundacja zbieramy razem” , International institutes; „National Alliance on Mental Illness” , „Canadian Mental Health Association”
Our opinions
Z: This is a really surious problem that is touching people from all over the world. We have to be aware of this situation because it could happen to anyone, even to people from our surrounding. We can't judge people who cuts themselves, because it can even make the situation worse.
H: Self-harming is today a growing problem partly caused by our Internet addiction. Just as Z wrote, it's important to be open and supportive. To prevent this illness, we will have to collaborate and change the atmosphere on the Internet. Together we can reduce the mental illness cases all over the world.
// Z & H
Bibliography
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-31878391
http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/youth-and-self-injury/#.VyGyEnpeRcs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/cutting-and-self-harm.htm
http://fundacjakairos.org/pl/?gclid=CIWJ18fnsMwCFUefGwodO9QPaw
http://zbieramyrazem.org/?gclid=CMbg1t3nsMwCFWoGcwodrs8LNg
http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/youth-and-self-injury/#.VyGyEnpeRcs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/cutting-and-self-harm.htm
http://fundacjakairos.org/pl/?gclid=CIWJ18fnsMwCFUefGwodO9QPaw
http://zbieramyrazem.org/?gclid=CMbg1t3nsMwCFWoGcwodrs8LNg