engleski

Self-harming behavior in adolescents - seeking identity in an depersonalized society?

The World Health Organization estimated that in year 2010 880, 000 deaths occurred as a result of self-harm. Rates of self-harm are much higher among young people with the average age of onset between 14 and 24. Identifying young people at risk and offering effective treatment is a major concern of mental health policies. Understanding individual motivation and means of self-harm is essential for assessment and treatment planning. The key difference between deliberate self-injury and suicide attempt is in the intent to end one’s life. For example, a teenage girl takes a small overdose of paracetamol intending to kill herself, but she does not succeed (suicide attempt). A similar girl takes a large overdose of paracetamol because she is angry and upset. She did not want to kill herself (non-suicidal self-injury, NSSI). Some NSSI acts may result in death, by ignorance or miscalculation. It has to be kept in mind that both forms of self-harm may overlap: individuals with suicide attempts may also show NSSI behavior and vice versa. The elevated life-time suicide risk associated with self-harm means that finding a way to identify and support undetected cases in the society is crucial.

self-harm ; deliberate self-injury ; suicide attempt ; young people

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