Contents:
- Introduction
- The Scope of the Problem
- Methods and Forms of Self-Harm
- The Psychology Behind Self-Harm
- Risk Factors and Root Causes
- High-Profile Cases: Princess Diana and Johnny Depp
- The Complex Relationship with Suicide
- The Impact of COVID-19
- Warning Signs and Recognition
- Treatment and Recovery
- Psychotherapy
- Medication
- The Recovery Process
- Support Resources
- Moving Forward: Prevention and Support
- A Biblical Perspective on Self-Harm
- Conclusion
Introduction
The Scope of the Problem
The average age for the first incident of self-harm is usually around 13 years of age, coinciding with the tumultuous period of early adolescence when young people face new stressors at school and home, along with significant physical, social, and mental changes. In 2018, 17.6% of U.S. adolescents aged 14 to 18 engaged in non-suicidal self-injury, with girls at 23.8% and boys at 11.3%—more than twice the rate for girls. The trend has continued upward: between 2020 and 2022, emergency room admissions in the U.S. for self-harm among girls aged 15-19 rose by 30%, and by 42% for girls aged 10-14. More broadly, emergency room visits for self-injury in the U.S. rose from 0.6% in 2011 to 2.1% in 2020—a 250% increase over nine years.
Recent data from 2024 reveals the crisis extends globally. In England, 31.7% of young females reported self-harm activities, contributing to an overall rate of 10.3% across all young people. On a global scale, the number of self-harm cases among individuals aged 10 to 24 exceeded 5.5 million in 2021 and is anticipated to double by 2040 if current trends continue.
Certain populations face dramatically elevated risk. In 2023, 54% of LGBTQ youth reported self-harming within the past year, with rates as high as 72% among transgender boys—the highest rate among all gender identities. LGBTQ youth who self-harmed in 2023 were 5 times more likely to contemplate suicide and 9 times more likely to attempt it than those who did not self-harm. Native American/Alaska Native teens had the highest rate of self-harm at 20.79% in 2018, with Native/Indigenous LGBTQ teens showing even higher rates at 67% in 2023.
Methods and Forms of Self-Harm
Self-harm manifests in various ways, though some methods are more common than others. Up to 90% of individuals who engage in self-harm report cutting the skin with razor blades, knives, or broken glass as the primary method, making it by far the most common form. Among ninth-graders across genders, 70.4% reported cutting or carving their skin as their primary method of self-harm. However, 76.7% of surveyed teens indicated that they used multiple methods of self-injury.
Other common methods include:
• Burning the skin with cigarettes, matches, or other heat sources (15-35% of cases)• Head-banging or hitting oneself (21-44% of cases)• Excessive scratching to the point of drawing blood• Interfering with the healing of wounds• Inserting objects into body openings• Pulling out hair (trichotillomania)• Punching oneself or objects• Drinking harmful substances• Pressing the thumb or fingers hard against the eyeballs• Biting the fingers and arms
Across all ages, 18.9% of youth reported engaging in other self-injury behaviors, including biting themselves, pulling at their hair, forcefully running into walls, or throwing their bodies against sharp items. Research indicates sex differences in the methods used: women are more likely to use cutting, whereas men are more likely to use hitting or burning.
While the vast majority of self-harm falls into these categories of superficial or moderate injury, there exists a rare and significantly more severe form of self-mutilation. Major self-mutilation, which is extremely uncommon, can include self-castration, amputation of a limb or extremity, and eye gouging. These cases are distinct from typical self-harm both in their severity and in their underlying psychological presentations, often associated with severe psychotic disorders, severe intellectual disabilities, or conditions like Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) (identifying as an amputee, disabled, etc.,).
It’s important to emphasize that the superficial nature of most self-injury distinguishes it from suicide attempts. While the wounds may appear alarming, they typically do not threaten life. However, this does not diminish the seriousness of the behavior or the underlying psychological distress it represents.
The Psychology Behind Self-Harm
Understanding why people self-harm requires examining the complex interplay of emotional, psychological, and neurobiological factors. Self-harm serves multiple psychological functions:
Emotional Regulation
People who self-harm often describe feeling overwhelmed by intense negative emotions—depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, or numbness—that feel unbearable and inescapable. They deliberately inflict physical injury as a way to interrupt or redirect this emotional spiral. The physical sensation creates a sudden jolt that forces their attention away from emotional pain to physical sensation, temporarily breaking the cycle of psychological distress and providing relief.
Physiological Mechanisms
The relief isn’t purely psychological. Even when people don’t consciously feel intense pain during self-harm, the body still responds to tissue damage by releasing endorphins—natural opiates that induce pleasant feelings. Many people who self-harm report higher pain thresholds or feeling emotionally numb during the act, yet still experience the calming or euphoric effects of endorphin release. This biochemical reward can make self-harm psychologically reinforcing as a coping mechanism.
Sense of Control
For individuals who feel powerless in other areas of their lives, self-harm can also provide a paradoxical sense of control. When everything else feels chaotic or unmanageable, the ability to control physical sensation—to choose when and how to experience pain—can feel empowering, even if this control is ultimately destructive.
Expression of Internal Pain
For some, self-harm serves as a way to make invisible emotional suffering visible. The physical wounds externalize internal pain, providing tangible evidence of psychological distress that others can see and potentially validate.
Self-Punishment and False Guilt
A particularly tragic aspect of self-harm involves its use as self-punishment rooted in false guilt. Many people who have been abused—whether physically, sexually, or emotionally—internalize the belief that they must have been guilty of something to deserve such treatment. Despite the reality that the abuse was entirely unjust, victims often conclude that they probably deserved it, or at least some of it. This distorted thinking develops because children naturally assume adults have valid reasons for their actions; when treated badly by those who should protect them, they conclude the fault must lie within themselves.
Self-harm becomes a way not only alleviate distress, but also to atone for these alleged sins—a self-imposed punishment that temporarily alleviates the anxiety and guilt they carry. By resubmitting themselves to pain and abuse, they unconsciously attempt to make things right, to pay for whatever they believe they did wrong. Some individuals even purposely do or say things they know will anger others or create problems, perpetuating a cycle of punishment they feel they deserve.
Tragically, many spend their entire lives punishing themselves for sins they never committed, continually trying to atone and earn the love and acceptance that was unjustly withheld from them. They remain trapped in a psychological prison built on false premises—believing that if they just suffer enough, prove themselves enough, or become perfect enough, they will finally be worthy of care and protection. Self-harm, in this context, represents both the internalized voice of the abuser and a desperate attempt to resolve unbearable feelings of unworthiness that should never have been planted in the first place.
Risk Factors and Root Causes
Self-harm does not occur in a vacuum. Research has identified numerous factors that increase vulnerability to self-harming behavior:
Childhood Trauma and Abuse
One of the strongest predictors of self-harm is a history of childhood trauma, particularly sexual or physical abuse. A 2021 study found that those with a history of childhood sexual abuse were 6.26 times more likely to experience self-harm repetition (five or more self-harm presentations) than those with no history of childhood sexual abuse. The Australian Child Maltreatment Study, published in 2023, found that those who experienced child sexual abuse are 2.7 times more likely to have self-harmed, and 2.3 times more likely to have attempted suicide, in the prior 12 months.
A Norwegian study of adolescents published in 2019 found that those exposed to sexual abuse had significantly higher odds of self-harm, with males showing 3.8 times higher odds and females 3.2 times higher odds compared to non-abused peers. Research from 2021 examining school-going adolescent survivors of sexual violence found that the estimate of self-harm ideation during the previous 12 months was 45.8%, while the estimate of self-harm behavior was 38.7%.
The betrayal inherent in abuse—especially when perpetrated by trusted family members—creates profound psychological damage. When someone who should protect and nurture a child instead harms them (or sexually violates them), it fundamentally disrupts the child’s sense of safety, trust, and self-worth.
Invalidating Environments
Not all self-harm stems from overt abuse. Many individuals who self-harm grew up in what can be termed “invalidating environments.” In these situations, parents or caregivers consistently dismiss, minimize, or reject the child’s feelings and experiences. When children attempt to communicate their emotions or describe their experiences, they are told these feelings aren’t real, don’t matter, or are exaggerated.
Invalidation can take many forms: excessive teasing, constant criticism, humiliation, infantilization, being continually blamed or made out to be guilty of something (assigned a personality) followed by arbitrary and unpredictable punishments, or controlling behavior that leaves no room for the child’s autonomy or self-expression (e.g. overparenting, helicopter parenting, etc.). Children in these environments often become hypervigilant about making mistakes, developing perfectionist tendencies in a futile attempt to avoid criticism. Yet no matter how hard they try to be “good enough,” they find they never meet the impossible standards set by their caregivers.
This chronic invalidation creates a devastating double bind: children know their feelings and experiences are real, but those in power systematically deny and effectually slander them. Unable to escape or effectively fight back against this gaslighting, they experience intense frustration, rage, and a profound sense of injustice. The psychological trap of being powerless to make their truth recognized creates fertile ground for self-harm as a coping mechanism.
Mental Health Conditions
Self-harm frequently co-occurs with other mental health conditions, including:
• Depression (in 2018, 38.2% of girls and 19.7% of boys who self-harmed felt sad for two weeks or more)• Anxiety disorders• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)• Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating)• Substance abuse
The relationship between these conditions and self-harm is bidirectional—mental health problems can lead to self-harm, and self-harm can exacerbate mental health symptoms, creating a destructive cycle.
Social Factors
Contemporary research has identified additional risk factors:
• Bullying and cyberbullying: Teens who experience online bullying are 2.47 times more likely to engage in self-harm in 2018 compared to non-bullied peers.• Social isolation and rejection: Feeling disconnected from peers and lacking supportive relationships.• Social media exposure: 87% of surveyed teens who self-harmed had been exposed to non-suicidal self-injury content on social media before engaging in it themselves.• Loss and abandonment: Events that trigger feelings of loss, rejection, or being unwanted.• Identity-related stress: LGBTQ+ youth face higher rates of self-harm due to bullying, discrimination, and lack of support. It should be noted that prior invalidating environments can actually create same-sex attraction and identity issues through the lack of affirmation and sense of belonging these abusive environments create. As noted in another book in this series, Know the Truth! Can Same-Sex Attraction Be Overcome? the insatiable desire to meet these unmet needs, and alleviate the fear and anxiety produced, becomes confused with sexual eroticism and a homosexual is born.
Dehumanization and Objectification
A common thread running through most cases of self-harm is the experience of being dehumanized—treated as an object rather than a person with inherent worth and dignity. Whether through sexual abuse, bullying, invalidation, or objectification, individuals who self-harm have often been stripped of their humanity by others. They have been treated as means to satisfy someone else’s needs, desires, or psychological problems rather than as ends in themselves.
This dehumanization leaves deep psychological scars. The ongoing experience of being treated as worthless despite knowing otherwise, combined with the powerlessness to escape or change the abuser’s behavior, creates intense psychological pressure. Self-harm, in this context, becomes a coping mechanism for managing the rage, frustration, and anxiety that accumulates from being persistently dehumanized while trapped in situations where one cannot effectively fight back or be heard.
Self-harm affects individuals across all social and economic strata. The struggles of well-known public figures demonstrate that fame and success provide no immunity from psychological distress and can, in fact, be a contributing factor.
Princess Diana experienced her parents’ divorce as a young girl, an early trauma that would contribute to lifelong struggles with abandonment and insecurity. When she married Prince Charles in 1981, she found herself thrust into an isolating position with intense public scrutiny, struggling with the pressures of royal life. Diana herself said, “One minute I was a nobody, the next minute I was Princess of Wales, mother, media toy, member of the family, and it was just too much for one person to handle”.
High-Profile Cases: Princess Diana and Johnny Depp
Self-harm affects individuals across all social and economic strata. The struggles of well-known public figures demonstrate that fame and success provide no immunity from psychological distress and can, in fact, be a contributing factor.
Princess Diana experienced her parents’ divorce as a young girl, an early trauma that would contribute to lifelong struggles with abandonment and insecurity. When she married Prince Charles in 1981, she found herself thrust into an isolating position with intense public scrutiny, struggling with the pressures of royal life. Diana herself said, “One minute I was a nobody, the next minute I was Princess of Wales, mother, media toy, member of the family, and it was just too much for one person to handle”.
In Andrew Morton’s biography “Diana: Her True Story,” based on secret recordings, Diana admitted to multiple instances of self-harm, including slashing her wrists with a razor blade, cutting herself with a serrated lemon slicer, and during an argument with Prince Charles, cutting her chest and thighs with a penknife. During a stay at Balmoral Castle in the early months of her marriage, Diana described becoming severely depressed and attempting to cut her wrists with razor blades.
Diana also struggled with bulimia nervosa for many years. The Royal Family viewed her cries for help as attention-seeking ploys rather than genuine distress, exemplifying the kind of invalidation that exacerbates self-harm behaviors. Her experiences illustrate how dehumanization through constant media attention, feeling trapped in an unhappy marriage, and lacking emotional support from those around her created conditions for self-destructive coping mechanisms. Diana eventually sought therapy for both her eating disorder and self-harm before her death in 1997.
Johnny Depp has also publicly acknowledged a history of self-harm dating back to his teenage years. The actor described scars on his left forearm from routinely cutting himself as a teenager, stating “Good times, bad times, it didn’t matter. There was no ceremony.” He characterized his relationship with self-harm by saying “My body is a journal, in a way,” comparing it to sailors’ tattoos as markers of specific times in his life.
During court testimony in 2020, his ex-wife Amber Heard stated that Depp’s body was covered in scars from self-harm, and that he had told her various stories about cutting himself when in pain and unable to handle his emotions. Audio recordings from 2016 presented in court captured instances where Heard begged Depp not to cut himself, pleading “Please, don’t cut yourself, please don’t.”
Much of Depp’s frustration also stemmed from being repeatedly labeled and invalidated by media narratives. He developed a “bad boy” reputation in his younger years, taking out negative feelings through destructive behavior and fights—ironically, this anger was often created by others’ attempts to label him negatively. Through persistent invalidation and slander, the media and public helped create the very image they insisted upon. He has since relocated away from Hollywood, seeking distance from the environment that contributed to his distress.
Both cases underscore several key themes in understanding self-harm: the role of invalidating environments (where one’s pain is dismissed or used against them), the impact of dehumanization through objectification and intense public scrutiny, the connection between self-harm and other mental health struggles, and the way that past trauma combined with present stressors can manifest in self-destructive behaviors. These high-profile examples also remind us that self-harm is not limited to any particular demographic—it is a human response to overwhelming psychological pain, regardless of wealth, fame, or external markers of success
The Complex Relationship with Suicide
It is crucial to understand that self-harm and suicide, while related, are distinct phenomena. Most people who engage in self-harm are not attempting to end their lives. In fact, many use self-harm specifically as a way to avoid suicide—as a release valve that helps them survive overwhelming emotions.
Nevertheless, the relationship between self-harm and suicide is concerning. Research indicates that 40-60% of suicides involve individuals with a history of self-harm. People who self-harm are at significantly higher risk of suicide attempts, even if their self-injurious behavior is not intended to be lethal. In 2018, 19.7% of American teens who self-harmed reported having suicidal thoughts. The reasons for this elevated risk include:
• Self-harm normalizes the act of self-injury, potentially lowering the psychological barrier to more lethal attempts• The underlying conditions that lead to self-harm (depression, trauma, hopelessness) are also risk factors for suicide• In severe or long-term cases, individuals may become desperate about their lack of control over the behavior, potentially leading to suicide attempts• Self-harm can result in more serious injuries than intended, with potentially fatal consequences
Anyone who self-harms should be taken seriously and offered appropriate support and treatment, regardless of whether suicide appears to be an immediate risk.
The Impact of COVID-19
Recent research has examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected self-harm rates. Interestingly, the prevalence of self-harm actually decreased from March 2019 to March 2023. However, there was a significant increase in prevalence after the end of the pandemic, coinciding with the return to normal activities. This trend suggests a long-term impact on adolescent mental health that extends beyond the pandemic period itself. The isolation, disruption of routines, and accumulated stress of the pandemic years may have created vulnerabilities that manifested as increased self-harm once young people returned to more typical social and academic environments.
Warning Signs and Recognition
Identifying self-harm can be challenging because individuals often go to great lengths to hide their behavior. However, certain signs may indicate that someone is self-harming:
• Unexplained cuts, scratches, bruises, or burns, particularly on arms, legs, or torso• Wearing long sleeves or pants even in warm weather to cover wounds• Frequent “accidents” or explanations for injuries that don’t quite make sense• Possession of sharp objects without clear purpose (razor blades, glass shards)• Spending long periods alone, particularly in bathrooms• Blood stains on clothing, towels, or bedding• Low self-esteem and negative self-talk• Difficulty managing emotions; intense mood swings• Statements about feeling worthless or expressing self-hatred• Withdrawal from friends and activities• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns• Signs of depression or anxiety
Importantly, the absence of visible signs does not mean someone is not self-harming. Many people harm themselves in areas that are easily concealed, and some forms of self-harm (such as hitting) may not leave obvious marks. I once knew someone who worked at Devereux of Florida. He said the kids would beat their heads against the walls sometimes for hours.
Treatment and Recovery
Recovery from self-harm is possible, though it often requires professional help and significant personal commitment. Treatment typically addresses both the self-harm behavior and the underlying issues that drive it.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy forms the cornerstone of treatment for self-harm. Several therapeutic approaches have demonstrated effectiveness:
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is considered the most well-established treatment for self-harm in adolescents and young adults. Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, DBT has been adapted for teenagers (DBT-A) and targets difficulties in emotional and behavioral regulation. It engages both adolescents and their caregivers in individual and group therapy, teaching skills for managing negative emotions, increasing interpersonal effectiveness, and developing healthier coping mechanisms. Research shows DBT-A significantly reduces suicide attempts, non-suicidal self-injury, and overall self-harm.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps individuals identify the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors linked to self-injury. It establishes strategies to avoid triggers and builds new coping skills to break the self-harm cycle. CBT can also address co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder. Evidence suggests that a combination of individual and family-based CBT is most promising for reducing self-harm in youth.
• Psychodynamic Therapy focuses less on conscious thoughts and behaviors and more on unconscious motivations. It explores past events and feelings to understand their influence on present behavior, helping individuals bring unconscious patterns into awareness where they can be addressed and changed.
Other therapeutic approaches that may help include interpersonal therapy, family systems therapy, and parent training interventions.
Medication
No medications specifically treat self-harm behaviors. However, medications can address underlying mental health conditions that contribute to self-harm. For instance, antidepressants may reduce harmful urges in someone with depression, and mood stabilizers might help manage emotional dysregulation. Medication is typically used in conjunction with therapy rather than as a standalone treatment.
Hospitalization
When self-harm behaviors become severe, frequent, or life-threatening, more intensive treatment may be necessary. This can include:
• Partial hospitalization programs (6-12 hours per day of treatment)• Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization with 24-hour care• Specialized self-injury programs with experienced staff
These settings provide safety, intensive therapy, and close monitoring during crisis periods.
The Recovery Process
Recovery is rarely linear. It typically involves:
• Self-awareness: Understanding the triggers, emotions, and thought patterns that lead to self-harm• Skill development: Learning healthy coping mechanisms to replace self-injury• Processing trauma: Working through past painful experiences in a safe, therapeutic environment• Building support: Developing relationships with people who provide validation and encouragement• Self-compassion: Learning to treat oneself with kindness rather than harsh criticism• Harm reduction: For some, the initial goal may be reducing rather than immediately stopping self-harm
Self-injury reduction—gradually decreasing the frequency and severity—has shown to be an effective approach toward achieving a self-injury-free life. There is no “gold standard” treatment; recovery plans must be individualized based on each person’s unique circumstances, needs, and resources.
Support Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm:
• Crisis Text Line: Text “SH” to 741741 for free, confidential support• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255• SAFE Alternatives (Self-Abuse Finally Ends): 1-800-DONT-CUT (1-800-366-8288)
Moving Forward: Prevention and Support
Preventing self-harm requires addressing its root causes at individual, family, and societal levels:
Individual and Family Level• Creating validating environments where children’s feelings are acknowledged and respected• Teaching emotional regulation skills from an early age• Protecting children from abuse, trauma, and bullying• Providing mental health support early when problems emerge• Fostering open communication about emotions and mental health
School and Community Level• Implementing comprehensive anti-bullying programs• Providing accessible mental health resources in schools• Training teachers and staff to recognize warning signs• Educating young people about healthy coping mechanisms
Societal Level• Reducing stigma around mental health and self-harm• Improving access to mental health care• Addressing social media’s role in normalizing or glorifying self-harm• Supporting research into effective interventions• Creating systems that protect children from abuse and neglect
A Biblical Perspective on Self-Harm
For those who approach life from a Christian worldview, understanding what Scripture teaches about self-harm provides both theological grounding and spiritual hope for recovery.
The Bible reveals in Genesis 1:27 that mankind was “made in the image of God,” meaning that humans were created in the likeness of God. This foundational truth establishes human dignity and worth as intrinsic, not dependent on performance, appearance, or the opinions of others. As 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
The Bible forbids self-mutilation of any kind, teaching that we are created in God’s image and are to bear this image corporally (bodily)— “You are not your own.” In the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:28 instructs, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.” This prohibition was given in the context of pagan worship practices, where cutting was associated with mourning rituals and false religions, as seen in 1 Kings 18:24-29 when the prophets of Baal “cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.”
However, the biblical perspective on self-injury is that it is primarily a heart issue (Matthew 15:11, 17-20; Luke 6:43). Self-harm is not simply a behavioral problem to be stopped through willpower alone, but a symptom of deeper spiritual and emotional wounds that require healing. Many who self-harm carry burdens of perfectionism, false guilt, and a distorted view of themselves that contradicts how God sees them.
The good news of the gospel is that God deeply loves those who are hurting. Psalm 34:18 promises, “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” God’s love is demonstrated through Christ: He bought you with a high price. Jesus died to show God’s awesome love for you. Rather than punishing or rejecting those who struggle, Galatians 6:2 instructs believers to “bear one another’s burdens,” showing compassion rather than judgment.
Recovery from a biblical perspective involves several components. A person must make the decision to stop hurting themselves, repent of this self-destructive behavior, and seek help. Permanent change requires a change of heart brought about by a renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2) and the sanctifying (and healing) work of the Holy Spirit. This includes understanding one’s true identity in Christ, learning to handle disappointment and pain in healthy ways, and addressing issues like unforgiveness, bitterness, and idolatry that may fuel the behavior.
Moreover, and despite many well-meaning Christians, we should not think the Holy Spirit cannot or will not work through Christian psychologists and counselors. Not all schools of psychology are the same—it depends on the methods and worldview. A big part of the healing process for any psychological problem is self-discovery, and a Christian psychologist can provide valuable information about psychological makeup that aids recovery and emotional healing. Social science, like natural science, when understood from the proper platform, is a legitimate Christian pursuit.
We still endure the hardships of this world, but we know that one day God will make the world new (John 16:33; Revelation 21-22). We have hope that we will be with Him throughout eternity. We also know that He is with us every day of our lives (John 14:15-21, 26-27; Matthew 28:20). We are not alone!
For those struggling with self-harm, Scripture offers both comfort and practical guidance. The Psalms provide models for crying out to God in distress, reminding us that God cares about the weight of guilt, shame, failure, anger, and rejection we carry. Jeremiah 29:11 promises, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Our fallen world is a cesspool of invalidation, dehumanization, and betrayal. There is nothing quite like experiencing the abiding presence of God, along with the healing work of the Holy Spirit as He makes you whole and binds old wounds. “But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Contrary to popular Christianity, God is not a prisoner to His own decreed weaknesses and infirmities. As untold millions have come to know, He can give liberation from anything, along with everlasting life to those who place their trust in Him.
Self-harm is a complex behavior that reflects profound psychological distress. It is neither attention-seeking nor manipulative, but rather a maladaptive coping mechanism used by individuals overwhelmed by emotional pain. Understanding self-harm requires compassion, empathy, and a willingness to look beyond the behavior to the suffering that drives it.
Conclusion
Self-harm is a complex behavior that reflects profound psychological distress. It is neither attention-seeking nor manipulative, but rather a maladaptive coping mechanism used by individuals overwhelmed by emotional pain. Understanding self-harm requires compassion, empathy, and a willingness to look beyond the behavior to the suffering that drives it.
The prevalence of self-harm, particularly among young people, represents a significant public health concern. The steep increases over the past decade suggest that many adolescents lack healthy ways to cope with the pressures and challenges of contemporary life. Whether rooted in trauma, invalidation, mental illness, or social adversity, self-harm signals a need for help.
Recovery is possible. With appropriate treatment, support, and time, individuals who self-harm can learn healthier ways to manage emotions, process trauma, and build lives worth living. As a society, we must work to create environments—at home, in schools, churches, and in communities—where young people feel valued, heard, and supported. By addressing the root causes of self-harm and providing accessible, effective treatment, we can reduce the burden of this crippling behavior and help those who struggle find healthier paths forward.
If you are struggling with self-harm, know that you are not alone, that help is available, and that recovery is possible. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness but an act of courage—the first step toward healing and hope.
If you found this book helpful, please help others to find it by leaving a rating or review.
About the Author
Roger Ball is a Reformed Christian writer who lives on the Florida Spacecoast. He writes on Christian theology, apologetics, psychology, and culture. Contact: rogerball121@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!