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What is self-injury?
Who self-injures?
Treatment
Resources
Panel of guests
Information
about the series and obtaining copies and transcripts.
Contact
WPT with any comments about this program.
Previous programs:
12/18/00
Kids and Materialism
10/30/00
Talking with Parents about Self-Injury
3/29/00
Parents and Success
in Schools
Discussion Guide
1/11/00
Raising Honorable
Children
Discussion Guide
11/15/99
Managing Emotions
Discussion
Guide
5/11/99
Fundamental assets
children need for healthy growth
Discussion
Guide
4/27/99
Setting Limits
(Discipline)
Discussion
Guide
3/23/99
Testing and Academic
Standards
Discussion Guide
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"In about 9th and 10th grade it started getting worse.
I would actually act on it. And I would cut on myself. I would basically
do anything. I just really needed to feel the pain. It was almost like I
wanted the physical pain to be as bad as my emotional pain."
Meagan, 17 years old |
WARNING SIGNS:
- Unexplained frequent injuries, including cuts and burns
- Wearing long pants and sleeves in warm weather
- Low self-esteem
- Difficulty handling feelings
- Poor functioning at work, school or home
- Relationship problems
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Termed by some
experts "the new anorexia," self-injury (also referred to as self-mutilation,
self-harm, self-abuse and self-inflicted violence) has become a serious
and widespread problem for teens during the past decade. At least 1%
of our teen population today is involved in deliberate, repetitive, impulsive,
non-lethal harming of themselves through intentional cutting, burning, scratching,
bruising, bone breaking and other injurious acts.
Self-injury, also referred to as self-mutilation, self-harm. self-abuse
and self-inflicted violence, is defined as "the deliberate, repetitive,
impulsive, non-lethal harming of one's self." The behaviors, which often
last for 5-10 years but can persist much longer without appropriate treatment,
include: cutting, scratching, picking scabs or interfering with wound healing,
burning, punching oneself or objects, infecting oneself, inserting objects
in body openings, bruising or breaking bones, hair-pulling and other various
acts of bodily harm. Such acts, which pose serious risks, may be symptoms
of a mental health problem that can be treated.
There is an important distinction between those who are self-mutilators
and those who are suicidal. "People who are suicidal obviously want to end
their lives," says Dr. Armando Favazza. "Self-mutilators do not want
to die. They simply want to feel better and their act is one of self-help
-- although it's a morbid form of self-help." It is "a faulty coping
mechanism that does not resolve a problem and can leave a person horribly
scarred and disfigured." |
| Chronic self-injurers cannot JUST STOP IT.
They must learn, with the help of skilled, caring professionals, alternative
ways to deal with the inner turmoil that compels them to seek relief through
physical pain. |
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For a VHS copy of
"Parent Connection:
Talking with Parents About Self-Injury"
contact:
NEWIST/CESA
#7
2420
Nicolet Drive
Green
Bay, WI 54311
Phone: (920) 465-2599 Fax: (920) 465-2576
E-mail: newist@netnet.net |
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