“Self-harm common in teenagers, Australian study shows” by Smitha Mundasad
-Amber Kocher
A study done by The Lancet study in Australia shows that one in 12 people in there teenage years self harm. This was a long-term study in which 2,000 adolescents were surveyed over a period of 15 years. The study also showed that 90% of the adolescents who self harm stop by the time they reach adulthood, and 10% continue on as adults. Researchers believe there is a correlation between self-harm and suicide, and 50-60% of people who committed suicide had a past of self-harming. Some of the most common forms of self-harm were burning and cutting. Researchers found that depression, anxiety, cigarette and cannabis smoking, and heavy alcohol use were all correlated with self harm. Authors of the study think that it should be a comfort to schools and families since it showed that 90% resolve their self-harm issues before adulthood, but mental health experts don’t want peopled lulled into a false hope that self harm is just a phase and that it is something that their children will grow out of.
Self-harm is something that should be taken extremely seriously, and it has a direct correlation to suicide risk in teenagers and adults. This is an important issue, because there needs to be help available to those who need it and can’t find it themselves or at home. Programs in schools and in health care are great for helping detect self-harm in adolescents. Stronger emphasis on the causes of self-harm, how to detect it, and how to handle it should be stressed in the school systems. Parents need to be educated just as much as school educators. Being aware of what children are doing at home and at school will be critical in helping adolescents. This study does show that a trend happens and that a lot of people resolve their issues. But that 10% is something that should still bother people, and the percentage of people that self harm at all in any time in there life is something that should be at 0%, and the causes of self harming need to be assessed and ultimately resolved.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15759946
4 comments:
After reading your blog post, I was very surprised by the statistics you provided in your response. With so many teenagers harming themselves in today's society, I am worried that nothing is being done to help this growing problem. Today's youth need to be helped so the future of society will be better than ever.
I know alot of people who began to self harm because they saw thats how people coped with their problems on TV. From that, I also knew many people who did it for attention and those who really contemplated suicide. There were many people whose parents didnt know how to deal with that problem. Though statistics say that people usually work things out. Whose to say we should wait that long? We should give parents help and teens other ways to cope with their feelings. Just because it usually works itself out doesnt mean we shouldnt take a stand because who is to say that they wont be one of those who commit suicide?
I was very surprised at the statistics given and I agree when you say this should be taken very seriously. With so many teens committing suicide, you would think more programs would be avaliable since there is an early sign and a way to prevent them.
This artcile really made me see how much of a problem self harm is. It shows that there needs to be more help in this area so that adolecents do not resort to this in order to relieve the pain, stress, or anxiety that they are going through. It also shows that there needs to be more resources for people to seek mental helth help.
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