Why do some children and young people self-harm?

Banner 4 Why Do Some CYP Self Harm

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Self-harm is essentially a coping mechanism. A child or young person might turn to self-harm:

  • Because of an underlying mental health issue.
  • To cope with overwhelming emotions. 
  • To cope with difficult or traumatic experiences, e.g. abuse, bullying.
  • To release emotional stress or tension.
  • To feel a sense of control or power over their situation. 
  • Because they’re struggling with feelings of emptiness, numbness, shame, anger or self-hatred.
  • Because of peer pressure (friends also self-harming or encouraging them to do so).
  • Because of self-harm content they’ve seen on social media.

You can learn more about why children and young people self-harm from their perspective in this short animation from Merseyside Youth Association:

Self-harm and neurodiversity

Daily life can be more challenging for neurodiverse children and young people. They may:

  • Experience difficulties with communication, social situations, and relationships. 
  • Face rejection, isolation and loneliness. 
  • Struggle to recognise or regulate their emotions.
  • Find it harder to access certain spaces (e.g. school, healthcare settings) due to sensory difficulties.
  • Have a higher risk of co-occurring mental health conditions. 

As a result, neurodiverse children and young people are more likely to experience self-harm. They may harm themselves as a way to:

  •  Regulate their emotions.
  • Manage sensory sensitivity and overload. 
  • Achieve sensory stimulation.
  • Cope with distress, anxiety, frustration, change or uncertainty. 

“They’re just doing it for attention”

It’s important to know that self-harm is not an “attention-seeking” behaviour. In fact, many children and young people who self-harm do not want their injuries or other self-harm behaviours to be seen by others and might go to great lengths to hide them.

Some children and young people do self-harm as a way to show their distress “on the outside.” However, this is often because they find it difficult to express in words how much they’re struggling or ask for the help they need. It should never be assumed that self-harm is simply being used as a way to seek attention or manipulate others.

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Next: How common is self-harm in children and young people?

 

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