Who is at Risk for Self-Mutilation?

Who is at risk for self-mutilation? You may be surprised. According to statistics teen girls have tended to participate in self-injury more than teen boys. However, recent studies show the number of boys who self-injure have continued to increase to near the same percentages as girls, if not equal. Some of the most common things amongst teens that self-mutilate or injure is they have been victims of physical or sexual abuse, have an alcoholic parent, a substance abuse problem, an eating disorder, or suffer from another mental condition like bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Teens who self-mutilate often:

• Have a low self-esteem
• Have difficulty controlling impulses
• Display high anxiety levels
• Have difficulty coping with stressful situations
• Tend to hide away in their own space for hours on end
• Are hyper-sensitive and feel unaccepted by parents or peers.

Although not every teen who self-injures has experienced abuse, abuses drugs, has a mental condition, or shows all of the symptoms above, these are very common factors amongst teens who admit to self-mutilation and should not be ruled out as a source of part of their problem. If you find out your teen, or a teen you know is participating in cutting, hair pulling, or self-mutilation of any kind it is best to seek professional help. Find a therapist the teen feels comfortable with and trusts. If they do not connect with the first counsellor do not get discouraged, but do seek out another, and another, and another if necessary. The best way for them to work through this and be able to stop is to be able to communicate what is going on within themselves.