What is nonsuicidal self-injury?
Nonsuicidal self-injury is when adults or children:
Hurt themselves in ways that clearly aren't meant to cause death, such as scratching, cutting, or burning themselves
Children who hurt themselves:
Are usually teens
May also abuse drugs or alcohol
Aren't trying to kill themselves, although some later do try to commit suicide Suicidal Behavior in Children and Adolescents Suicide has to do with killing yourself. Suicidal behavior includes: Thinking about killing yourself Attempting to kill yourself Actually killing yourself (committing suicide) read more
May be helped by therapy that helps them find other ways to manage their emotions and stress
What causes children to hurt themselves?
Children and teens who hurt themselves may be doing it to:
Punish themselves
Get attention
Try to get help
Manage anger or stress
In some high schools, hurting yourself suddenly becomes a fad.
Although the behavior isn't necessarily suicidal, some children are at increased risk of suicide. Those at increased risk include children who:
Hurt themselves a lot
Use several methods of hurting themselves
Talk about suicide or have suicidal thoughts
How can I help children who are hurting themselves?
Because it's hard to tell which children are at risk of suicide, those who injure themselves should see a doctor who specializes in the problems of children and teens. Doctors will assess the risk of suicide and come up with a treatment plan.
How do doctors treat children who hurt themselves?
Doctors treat children who hurt themselves with:
Therapy
Sometimes, medicine
