Highlander Wave
Teen self-abuseWednesday, February 22, 2012 By Whitney Hoover
What is teen self-abuse? It is self-injury; it is a way of dealing with strong emotions. Teens that do hurt themselves and attempt suicide are most likely to engage in other behaviors such as drinking, drugs, and may also have eating disorders. According to recent studies one in five teens has admitted to purposely injuring themselves at some point. Having a teen do this is one of the hardest things a parent could ever go through. Teen self-abuse affects everyone from both sexes and from all backgrounds. Teens that self-abuse do not know how to ask for help and see self-abuse as the only way to relieve stress. The most common form of self-abuse is cutting. There is no single reason as to why teens self-abuse, however, some reasons may include, feeling neglected, lonely and depressed, having a history of physical abuse, or just wanting attention. Most teens that self-abuse feel the need to have control in his/her life. Teen self-abuse is very serious and not many people know or understand the problem. There are thousands of teens out there who face these troubles daily. Fortunately, help is available. Different ways you could approach someone like this would be to just talk to them, don’t judge them or yell at them. Be very supportive by listening and telling them you’re there to help. If you know anyone who is self-abusing and need help but are too scared to ask, help them. If they are in serious danger, call 911. |