supporting young people who self-harm
TRANSCRIPT
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Supporting young
people who self-harm
This presentation will start at 18:00
Created CAMHS School in Reach Team
(adapted from PPEPCARE)
With thanks to
Kielly Alfoadari & Dr Pooky Knightsmith
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Supporting young
people who self-harm
Delivered by Becca Sheahan
CAMHS School In-Reach worker
With thanks to
Kielly Alfoadari & Dr Pooky Knightsmith
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Aims of the session
To help you think about what self-harm is and why young people may self-harm
To help you understand what it feels like to be a young person who is self-harming
To understand why your response to a YP matters and what can be helpful and unhelpful when talking to a young person
To help you support young people who self-harm by thinking about alternative ways to cope
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Overview
Understanding self-harm
(including common
misconceptions)
Conversations with young
people
Offering practical support
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Common
misconceptions
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Some examples…
“People who self harm are
suicidal”
Self-harm is not a
particular ‘disorder’ – it is
a reaction to difficult
circumstances, distress and
life events.
Not really – for many, it is a
coping mechanism to deal
with extreme negative
emotions. In the short term
it can feel like an effective
means of coping with life
“People who self harm
could stop pretty easily if
they really wanted to”
There is a relationship in
that those who self harm
are more likely to try and
take their life, but it
doesn’t always go hand in
hand.
“It’s the self-harm that’s
the real problem”
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“The more serious the
injury, the more serious
the problem”
Not true – research does not
back this up people may cut
more deeply than they mean
to for example-It can be
dangerous to label injuries as
superficial
Generally, self-harm is a
private act. Young people
may have go to great lengths
to hide scars/bruises etc and
may try to treat themselves
rather than seeking medical
attention. Self harm can be
seen as a communication of
distress – attention needing
rather than seeking
“People who self harm are
just attention seeking”
Some more examples…
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Defining self-harm (what could it look like?)
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• Picking and scratching
• Burning
• Cutting and biting
• Pulling out hair
• Substance abuse
• Self-poisoning
• Inserting objects
Self-harming behaviours may include:
• Overdose
• Taking personal risks
• Self-neglect
• Ligature tying
• Eating disorders
• Swallowing objects
• Risky behaviour
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Prevalence estimates
Estimates will vary depending on
how self-harm is measured
Reports suggest around 12% of
young people overall may self-
harm (Doyle et al, 2015)
Rates have risen most sharply in
young females (e.g. an increase of
68% in 13-16-year-old females from
2011-14 (Morgan et al, 2017)
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Understanding self-harm
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Truth hurts (2006)
Cutting for me releases all the built-up
anger and frustration and pain I feel
inside. There are many things that happen
to me in my life which cause the pain I
feel and how I release it. Mostly the
feelings of isolation like being outcast
pretty much from relationships
altogether. I don’t feel like I am a very
stable person and I hate myself a lot of
the time. I think body image also has a lot
to do with my cutting. School is stressful,
home life I can’t handle sometimes.’
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Self-harm can be:
Direct or indirect,
transient or longer term…
… but whatever the ‘type’ it’s usually
conducted at times of anger, distress, fear
or worry and is a way of coping with these
feelings
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Put simply, self-
harm is a coping
mechanism
We’re more
accepting of
other types...
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What individual factors are
associated with self harm?
Depression/anxiety
Low self-esteem
Poor problem-solving skills
Hopelessness
Impulsivity
LGBTQ+
Gender Dysphoria
Learning Difficulties
Drug/alcohol abuse
Neurodiversity
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What family factors are
associated with self harm?
Extreme expectations from family
Abuse
Conflict
Mental health problems in parents
Domestic violence
Drug/alcohol abuse
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What social factors are
associated with self harm?
Loneliness
Difficulties with peer relationships
Easy availability of drugs/alcohol
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Emotional pain (sadness,
grief, hopelessness,
depression) 57%
Self-hatred (shame, guilt,
dirtiness) 51%
Anger (frustration,
powerlessness) 50%
Anxiety (fear, tension, panic)
34%
Neediness (unsupported,
unheard) 30 %
Unreality (numbness,
emptiness) 9%
Why do young people
self-harm?
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Control Punishment
To appear ugly
Physical vs
emotional pain
To feel ‘real’
To feel cared for
Common motivations
include…
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Self-harm, the autism spectrum
and sensory processing
For young people with ASD,
triggers to self harm may be
different (but not always) :
Can be associated with coping
with or counterbalancing
overwhelming sensory
information
Associated with increasing
distress (may be public,
blatant and common methods
include head banging,
scratching, biting and hair
pulling).
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Common triggers
• Relationship difficulties (family & friends)• Life events (divorce)• Trauma (bereavement/abuse)• Bullying• Self harm in friends/the media• Pressure (exams)
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Self
Harm
Cycle
BIG
feelings
Can’t cope
Unhealthy
copingRelief
Guilt &
Shame
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What warning signs should you
look out for?
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Key warning signs
Secrecy or disappearing at times of high emotion
Long or baggy clothing covering arms or legs even in
warm weather
Increasing isolation or unwillingness to engage avoiding
changing in front of others (may avoid PE, shopping,
sleepovers)
Absence or lateness
General low mood or irritability
Negative self-talk
Feeling worthless, hopeless or aimless
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Individual warning signs
Changes in eating/sleeping patterns
Isolation from friends and family
Mood changes i.e. more aggressive than usual
Lowering of grades
Talking of self harm or suicide
Using drugs or alcohol
Talking of hopelessness or feelings of failure
Giving away belongings
unexplained scars, covering up (e.g. wearing long
sleeved tops in very hot weather)
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Family & social warning
signs
Family
• Extreme expectations
• Abuse
• Conflict
• Mental health problems in the family
• Domestic violence
• Drug/alcohol abuse
Social
• Loneliness
• Difficulties with peer relationships
• Easy availability of drugs/alcohol
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Suicide or Self-Harm?
Some people who self-harm have a strong desire
to kill themselves, but most will not
Even if the intent to die is low, self harm needs
to be taken seriously – people who do not
intend to kill themselves sometimes do so
because they don’t realise the seriousness of
their injuries
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Self-Harm
or Suicide?
INTENTION is our best guide
Lethality is NOT a
reliable guide- if the
intention was suicide but
the means wasn’t lethal we
focus on the intention.
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Overview
Understanding self-harm
(including common
misconceptions)
Conversations with young
people
Offering practical support
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Seeking help
This is usually really difficult for YP
Seeking help is often the first step in breaking the cycle and sharing the experience can be a huge relief
How others react influences whether the YP seeks further help
YP need to feelcomfortable with who they speak to
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How can we respond in the
most supportive way?
The most supportive first conversation is one where:
Your young person is the sole focus of your attention
You spend most of your time listening, not talking
Your young person tells their story, you never guess or assume
There is a feeling of acceptance and support, not judgement
Self-harm is not dismissed as attention seeking
This is recognised as the first step of a difficult journey
You recognise how hard this conversation must be for your
young person
You respond calmly – even if you don’t feel calm
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You learn your
young person is
self-harming…
What next?
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Four Helpful Responses:
LISTEN!1
Manage your reactions2
Offer practical support3
Involve your child/ YP in
decisions4
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What if the young person
doesn’t want to talk?
Who is best placed to have the conversation?
How can you help them to communicate?
• Can you talk whilst doing something else?
• Is talking the only option?
Can you offer alternative sources of support?
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Scenario- How would you
respond?
Rohan has been unwell with a fever.
He shows you cuts on his arm, they
look red, oozing & angry.
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Questions to consider when
responding
Is there an immediate need for medical care?
Is your young person a danger to themselves?
What message do you want to give to your
child/ young person?
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First Aid first A&E if neededWound
management
Is there an immediate need for medical care?
Questions to consider when
responding
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If you are concerned that an episode is a serious attempt to end their life,
and they are known to CAMHS:
Contact the relevant team’s duty line
If they are not known to CAMHS:
Contact CAMHS Single Point of Access (SPA) on 01865 902515 (8am-6pm Monday-Friday)
Out of hours- call 111/ Out of hours GP
In immediate danger, always call 999
Questions to consider when
responding
Is your young person a danger to themselves?
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Listen Remain calmAsk how you
can help
Questions to consider when
responding
What message do you want to give to your
child/ young person?
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Showing you’re
not afraid to talk
about the specifics
of self-harm can
feel very
supportive to your
young person
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Telling them
that self harm
is wrongGiving a
negative
reaction
Agreeing to
unrealistic
plans
Giving ultimatums
or applying
pressure
Seeing them as
‘just a self-
harmer’
What can be
unhelpful
Assuming that
every episode of
self harm is for the
same reason
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Overview
Understanding self-harm
(including common
misconceptions)
Conversations with young
people
Offering practical support
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Explore alternatives
ways of coping
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Identifying your young person’s
safety net…
Confide in
family and
close friends
Speak with a
favourite
teacher
Access to
appropriate
information or
helplines
Identifying
other ways
of coping
with
difficult
feelings
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Help your young person to identify less risky ways to cope with difficult emotions…
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Write or draw about feelings
Talk to a person or helpline
Go to a quiet place and
scream / scream silently
Hit a pillow / soft object
Listen to musicLook after an
animal or sibling
Draw red lines on the skin
Clench ice cubes
Snap elastic band on wrist
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Alternative coping strategies
Pick one or two initially,
try them out and review:
Was it helpful? Did it
work?
Would you use it again?
What else could you try?
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Summary:
How you
can help
Arrange appropriate medical care
Listen to the young person and be mindful of your reactions
Provide access to information
Tell other people/seek support (where appropriate)
Talk about other coping strategies and offer practical advice
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If you remember 3 things…
Self-harm is
a coping
mechanism
Trust your
gut. If
you’re
worried,
follow up
LISTEN
1 2 3
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Overview
Understanding self-harm
(including common
misconceptions)
Conversations with young
people
Offering practical support
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Any questions?
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Useful apps for young people
who self-harm Calm Harm (distractions and support around self-
harm)
For me-Childline (live chat for mental health support)
Stay Alive (suicide prevention)
Catch It (support with mood)
Stop, Breathe, Think (meditations and mindfulness)
Think Ninja
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https://charliewaller.org/resources/coping-
with-self-harm/
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No Harm Done: Information for young people, parents and staff
https://youngminds.org.uk/youngminds-professionals/our-
projects/no-harm-done/
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Further Sources of
Information
www.selfharm.co.uk
www.charliewaller.org
www.youngminds.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk
www.nshn.co.uk/downloads
.html
www.barnados.org.uk
www.minded.org.uk