Help for Carers > Different caring situations > Caring for someone with a mental health problem > Coping with self harm

Coping with self harm

You are not alone

The following is from 'Young people and Self Harm: a National Inquiry' www.selfharmuk.org

• Self-harm is a term used to describe deliberately injuring oneself through a variety of means such as cutting, poisoning, burning.
• The most common methods of self-harm involve the repeated cutting of the skin, but equally may include burning, scalding, banging or scratching one's own body, ingesting small amounts of toxic substances or objects to cause discomfort or damage.
• 1 in 10 teenagers self-harm
• More than 24,000 teenagers are admitted to hospital in the UK each year after deliberately harming themselves. Most have taken overdoses or cut themselves.

National Charity ''YoungMinds'' makes various suggestions to carers which inlcude:

• Keep an open mind - don't judge or jump to conclusions
• Make time to listen and take them seriously
• Help them to find their own way of managing their problems
• Help them work out who else can help
• Offer to go with them to tell someone, or offer to tell someone for them
• Don't be offended if they don't want to handle things your way
• Don't tease them - respect their feelings
• Support any positive steps they take

You can also get more information from:

YoungMinds - Friends and family - how you can help

www.harmless.org.uk - user-led organisation providing support, information, training and consultancy to people who self harm, their friends and families and professionals

www.selfharmony.co.uk - user-led, self-injury awareness organisation to help educate and support people who self harm and their family and friends

www.self-injury.net - website letting self-injurers know that they are not alone and helping their friends and family learn more about self-injury and how it affects their loved one

Young People and Self Harm a National Inquiry - Alternatives to Self-harm

www.nshn.co.uk - National Self-Harm Network is a survivor-led organisation campaigning for the rights and understanding of people who self-harm

There are people who can help:

West Sussex Carers Support Services

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