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Self-Harm=Game Over

Have I ever thought of committing self-harm? Yes, in some circumstances. When you are

surrounded by a lot of problems and you think there is no way out of it all you want to do is

release your feelings. I once was living with my mom and my dad as a happy family all had

changed when we had to move to Mexico my dad had to stay. I thought I had hit rock bottom, I

was about to commit self-harm and there was only one person who I had trusted I told her all my

problems and that person who I trusted was my best friend. Somehow she always helped me and

she never gave up on me. My family didn't notice until after, so they would probably ask

themselves why I would think about doing that. Now that I think about it there are many people

who have been or going through the same as I was before. On the news, you don't often see

many people who have committed self-harm. Self-harm is when you hurt yourself on purpose it's

one of the most common methods to cut yourself, other people feel an impulse to burn their

arms, or pull out their hair. Adults don't do anything because they don't know enough

information about these actions about 800 thousand people die in a year. The media should

promote more awareness about self-harm because many teens practice self-harm, parents

can know the causes and effects of self-harm, and we all can prevent death.

We often don't see the lifestyle of a teenager or worry about them they are people who go

through a lot of situations and decide to take the problems on their own. These cases happen for

the need of more information so that we can prevent any other type of situation. “The ubiquity of

social media and the way in which youth present and represent themselves in order to obtain

attention, validation, and feedback from the audience” (Weller). Teens try to get attention from

people who surround them but since family members ignore them they commit self-harm. “In
past decades teenagers struggle to deal with there emotion and decide by taking a razor to the

forearm on extinguishing cigarettes on their arms”(Weller). These strategies in which teens

practice self-harm and they feel that they are releasing their emotions but in reality, all they are

doing is hurting themselves.

In the graph shows what ages are the ones who practice self-harm more. As you can tell

women from the ages 15-19 and 20-24 are the one who harms their self more. Women try to

commit suicide because of couple reasons or sometimes they use it to manipulate.

Ages from 13 to 16 are the ones who most practice self-harm. Their behavior goes

beyond depression, anxiety, or social isolation. “Over the last couple of years more young people

have injured themselves their intent is not to die but somehow think the is a punish to them.

When a teen is depressed or has a problem they think that by cutting their arms or also burning
them they are releasing their problems or feelings” recent studies have found that there is a 17 -

28 percent of teen and young adults that have engaged in the behavior or somehow have practice

self-harm once in their lifetime. Some teens aren't very addicted to cutting and they try to

experience it but they see that those actions won't take you to any good. On the other side for

other people, they don't think the same and they practice it over and over. Adults don't really

understand the reasons why teens have to do that to their body and won't help them either. One

of the most important people who have to be informed are the parents and provide help to their

kids.

When a teen practice self-harm there can be very inconspicuous trying tode scars from

their parents. That’s, why is very important for parents to be informed about these situations

“many teens who commit or attempt suicide, have given some type of warning to their loved

ones ahead of time so it's very important to parent to know the warnings”(Lyness). For these

reasons parents should know what are signs that leading them to try something like these and

they can prevent their kids from injuring themselves. As well provide them help before

committing suicide. Teens going through major life changes such as a parent divorce, leaving

home or a financial separation. Those who are victims of bully the greater risk of suicidal

thought (Lyness). These are some reason why teens come to an end of practicing suicide. As a

parent, you may not notice all the problems that cause that teens get depressed. Not only with the

family problem also in school, they can get bullied. Teens do not show these scars they tried to

hide them from an adult. For those reasons you may not be noticed why or how they practice

self-harm. Teens give adults sign that they are going through a problem.

As a parent, they don't have time to spend with teens but it's very important to never lose

communication with them. People who self-injure become distant and withdrawn. Youth who
put on a happy face even they don't feel happy or other negative coping behavior (Sweet and

Whitlock). They try to hide their feeling thinking that they are not important to the society.

Knowing that seeking someone particularly a youth is a sign or love and not betrayal. You can

provide some choices about where to go and who to see and also include him or his decision

(Sweet and Whitlock). It's very important to always have time for them and never make them

feel less. And always try to help them in every situation. As parents and not only parents but

people who surround then they can always support them by either providing help or some type of

therapy.

Parents have to be informed of how and a teen or anybody else takes the decision of why

they injure their body. The first thing to remember is to never make your child feel bad about

what they are doing(Tickled Media Pte. Ltd). When a parent notice of the situations they may not

know what to do in some circumstances they may get mad but the last thing that the teens need is

to make them feel worse. Which is why as a parent you need to let them know that they can

count on you and that they can express themselves through other ways.(Tickled Media Pte.Ltd).

providing them help will make them know that they are special and valued. Nowadays there are

other ways we can express our feelings and not only by injuring their body.

At some point, parent don't really know what to do in some cases and there some chances

they won't take the situations seriously. Take all suicidal statement seriously some parents think

teen threaten suicide to manipulate them ( Esposito-Smythers). Parents don't often pay attention

to the signs and think they are something normal. Many people are afraid that if they talk about

self-harm it will lead their child to think about suicide (Esposito- Smythers). In some cases,

teenagers don't think about committing such thing like that and if they start to see people

practicing self-injure they may have the thoughts of doing it. A parent can avoid such those
situations if they pay attention to their teenagers. Parents should not be the only ones who should

care about self-harm we as a society should be involved to help other people. Either if we are a

friend or a teacher we can support them through their situation.

Adolescent at some point in their life can no longer deal with their problems and have

come to the moment of committing suicide. This is because the society doesn't know the causes

and consequences or reasons of why they have come to that point. Self- injury occurs in private

and is done in a controlled or a ritualistic manner that often leaves a pattern on the skin (Mayo

Clinic Staff). When a young person do everything in secret it because they do not have any

communication with a friend or their parents. Some people who injure themselves are reflected

or have been abused or experienced other traumatic events (Mayo Clinic Staff). Another

important point is that you may notice if they are hidden parts of the body that previously looked

without the problem being attentive to their behavior or attitude. It important to know what are

the problems for which they are going through and realize is the reasons are from the school or in

their home.

Suicide is very common in many places but not all have the same possibilities to give

there child support or a treatment based on their economy. In 2012 a study in Australia found out

that an 8% of teenagers under the age 20 reported have harmed themselves at some point

(Lehman). Young adults may be going through the same situations. Self-harm can be practiced

by anybody it really doesn't have a specific age it all depends on the situation. We hope for

parents, grandparents teacher and healthcare may be more mindful of self-harm and the mental

well being of young people (morgan). For an adult, it can be seen as a self-destructive behavior

whose objective is to manifest a personal or a very deep pain.

 Some friend or family members may be worried to know if there is a solution or a

treatment to cure the problems and to make the person stop self-injuring. Many people battle to

stop self-mutilation but lose this battle when they are fighting alone it is won once they gain the

support of other (Tracy). It is important to always be with them and support them and even more

when they have decided to see a therapist it can be a long process but little by little they will start

have self-esteem. Changing some of the negative thoughts that lead to self-injury is possible and

important (Tracy). When you have thought that you live really doesn't matter those are problem

that leads you to harm yourself for reasons that you don't feel valued or loved by the people who

surround you.

There are many reasons why the society should be informed about self-harm (suicide).

Many kids and adults can be practicing without even noticing a difference. As we seen over the

years there has been an increase of people who commit suicide and we yet have not decided to

do something for them, there are so many lives that have died because they have problems in

there home or in school. We all have the same right to be treated the same. The ones who suffer

the most are the parents for reasons of not being informed. If we only take the time to read more

about we can prevent the death of innocent lives.

Works cited

Esposito-Smythers, Christy. “What do I do if my teen is thinking about suicide?”

Huffpost. 6 Dec, 2017. 13 Mar, 2018.

Lehman, Sherren. “Self harm among teen girls in the UK rises sharply.” Huffpost. 18

Oct, 2017. 13 Mar, 2018.

Rether, Rachel. “Why do teens hurt themselves? The science of self-injury.” Live science.

12 Sep, 2010. 14 Mar, 2018.

Tracy, Natasha. “How to stop self-harm self-injury behaviors?” Healthy Place. 26 Agu,

2016. 15 Mar, 2018

Weller, Chris. “A surprising number of teenagers are engaging in ‘digital self-harm; the

practice of being mean to yourself online.” Business Insider. 18 Oct, 2017. 15

Mar, 2018