Treatments
- Psychotherapy. Teens who cut should be evaluated and treated by counselors or psychologists who have experience in...
- Psychiatry. An evaluation by a child psychiatrist (a medical doctor who can prescribe drugs) might also be a good idea...
- Treatment Center. You might look for a treatment center in your area that specializes in cutting. ...
Full Answer
How can I help my child who cut themselves?
Cutting is sometimes the result of trauma and painful experiences that no one knows about. It can hurt to think that your child might experience any of these feelings. As difficult as it is, try to keep in mind that exploring what pressures prompt your teen to self-injure is a necessary step toward healing. Talk to your child.
What does it mean when a child cuts themselves?
Cutting is a form of self-injury -- the person is literally making small cuts on his or her body, usually the arms and legs. It's difficult for many people to understand. But for kids, cutting helps them control their emotional pain, psychologists say.
What can I do if my teen is cutting?
If your teen is cutting, there ways to help. By coping with your own feelings, learning about cutting, finding professional help, and just being there to love and believe in your teen, you'll provide the calm, steady support that he or she needs. Accept your own emotions.
What should I do if my child has self-injury?
Take your kids to the hospital if the cut is too deep or bleeding is quite heavy. Talk to a mental health professional to learn how to treat self-injury. Work with an experienced person only. Communicate with your kids and let them share thoughts with you.
How to get help for self cutting?
Schools have social workers who can evaluate the child at the school. When indicated, the social worker can contact you to receive approval for referral to a clinic where they can be evaluated by a psychologist and a psychiatrist . You can always call your primary care pediatrician for a professional mental health referral.
Why do kids cut themselves?
A child may feel overwhelming emotional distress and that their problems don’t have an easy solution, so they harm themselves to regain a sense of control. Other times, a child may feel confused and disconnected from reality, which poses an unconscious type of distress. Here, the child or adolescent does not understand very well why they are stressed out or what is worrying them. In these cases, cutting or self-mutilation can make them feel connected to reality again. Often, a child may pick up the idea of cutting themselves from a friend, classmate, or family member who is self-harming.
What is Self-Mutilation?
Cutting and other forms of self-mutilation are common behaviors in children with mental health challenges. Other self-harm behaviors include burning with cigarettes or lighters, hitting oneself to the extent of causing bruises, piercing one’s skin, self-biting, or pulling one’s hair. The reasons that children cut themselves may vary. Harming oneself is not necessarily related to suicidal thinking or behaving. Children and adolescents who harm themselves frequently do so to reduce and cope with emotional distress. Thus, in some way, the sensation of physical pain may relieve emotional pain.
What Are the Causes of Cutting?
As mentioned, both perceived and unconscious distress are the most immediate causes of self-cutting. Young people and adults who cut themselves generally have a hard time managing their emotions. But one may wonder, what are the underlying causes for a person to arrive to this situation? Scientific research has shown that many children and adolescents who cut themselves have psychiatric disorders such as mood disorders or substance use issues with alcohol or other drugs, and these biological conditions may be hereditary. At the same time, a history of physical, psychological, or sexual abuse is highly associated with the risk of a self-cutting to manage emotional distress., though this is not the only reason for cutting.
What Are the Signs of Self-Cutting?
These frequently coexist with more recent and fresh cuts. Other times, the signs are scratches, rubs, burns, bites, or other types of wounds on the child or adolescent. It is not uncommon for young people who cut themselves to wear long sleeves, even in summer, to hide scars and to have a history of unstable relationships with partners, friends, or family. They often say that they are hopeless and that no one helps them with their problems.
Where to take a child for psychiatric care?
If you are worried that the life of your child is at risk, it is wise to take your child to the nearest hospital psychiatric urgent care clinic or emergency room. Self-injurious behaviors may require admission to a residential or inpatient psychiatric unit; and in other cases to an outpatient program.
Is cutting a sign of distress?
The bottom line is that cutting is a sign of emotional distress and there is a wide range of conditions that may be the source of concern. The great news is that there are effective ways of managing the cutting, determining the causes, and treating underlying conditions.
What to do when your child cuts you?
Although becoming undone when you see that your child has cut him or herself makes perfect sense, do your best to stay calm. Your child needs help, and the first line of defense is your pediatrician.
How many people cut themselves?
Lots of people deliberately cut themselves. Estimates suggest that as many as one out every 25 people will engage in deliberate non-suicidal self-cutting at some point in their lives. These people might not have diagnosable psychiatric syndromes, but they do suffer from higher levels of anxiety, symptoms of personality disorders, and significant shame.
What to do if your clinician is rude?
If your clinician seems rude or intolerant, seek another healthcare provider . At the end of the day, self-cutting is common and highly treatable. Those are the take-home messages. Stay calm, get help, and know that this behavior responds well to intervention. Thanks for visiting the Clay Center.
Does cutting help with self-soothe?
Although the etiology of cutting is not clear, deficits in receptors in the brain that help to self-soothe are often implicated. Recent studies have measured these deficits in patients who cut themselves, and some of the medication interventions involve triggering these receptors in order to interrupt the cutting behavior.
How to help a child who is cutting herself?
Tell your kids how much you love them and let them know that you will be there whenever they need you. Actively participate in your kids’ treatment because your support will help them recover soon. As parents, you need to keep calm and not freak out when you know that your child is cutting herself/himself.
How to help kids with a cut?
Take your kids to the hospital if the cut is too deep or bleeding is quite heavy. Talk to a mental health professional to learn how to treat self-injury. Work with an experienced person only. Communicate with your kids and let them share thoughts with you.
What Can Happen to Kids Who Cut Themselves?
Moreover, the relief does not last and often increases the stress. It is important to note that cutting is not a good behavior because it can take a wrong turn. While people who cut themselves do not want to hurt themselves permanently, they usually stop after a few cuts, things can go wrong and lead to serious consequences . Some kids misjudge the depth of a cut and end up being hospitalized. These cuts can become infected when using non-sterile cutting instruments, such as scissors, razors or pins.
What to do if playback doesn't begin?
If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Why do teens cut?
Some teens feel burdened by anxiety, stress, depression and other emotions. They resort to cutting to get rid of those feelings. Other reasons for cutting include an intense feeling of helplessness, aloneness and the need to punish them for something that happened.
How to deal with cutting behavior?
Actively look for what triggers the cutting behavior. It is usually a way of reacting to emotional pain or stress. Identify those situations first. It could be anything from pressure to be perfect and a painful trauma to emotional anger, mean criticism and more. Identify those situations and then figure out what you can do about that. There is always a better way of dealing with things.
How to cope with stress of cutting?
Be honest with a mental health professional or counselor will definitely help, but you need to be open to them and utilize any strategies they share to help you cope with your life's stresses. Be consistent and always tell your counselor how you feel about different things and what pushes you towards cutting.
How to help a teenager who is self harming?
Calling a friend, going for a walk, or drawing are just a few possible activities that could help your teen express their feelings in a healthier way. 4. Take steps to change your teens' self-harming behavior. Talk to your child's pediatrician to gain a referral to a therapist. A mental health professional can teach your teen healthier ways ...
Why do teens feel better after self injury?
It also provides a sense of control. A teen who engages in self-injury is likely to feel like they can control the pain better. In addition, the injury releases endorphins into the bloodstream, which also provides a temporary boost of mood.
How to help a teenager with emotional issues?
A mental health professional can teach your teen healthier ways to regulate their emotions. 5. Help your teen create a list of people to talk to. Talking to trusted friends and family can help them cope with stress and reduce their self-injury.
How many teens harm themselves?
Studies consistently estimate that 15 to 20% of teens harm themselves at one time or another. Fortunately, with support most teens learn healthier coping skills and stop self-injury.
What does it mean when a teenager hurts themselves?
Teens who hurt themselves aren't crazy and their self-injury doesn't mean they're suicidal. Instead, it just means they're having trouble coping with their pain in a healthy manner. 2
What Constitutes Self-Harm?
Self-harm describes any deliberate action intended to cause physical pain. Adolescent males engage in this behavior too, but it is most often females who hurt their bodies in an attempt to deal with difficult feelings or situations. Cutting or scratching the skin with razor blades or other sharp objects is the most common form of self-injury. 1
When kids learn to face their problems, they will quit self-harming?
When kids learn to face their problems, they will quit self-harming, she adds. "Our goal is to get them to communicate what's wrong. Babies don't have the capacity for language, so they use behavior. These adolescents regress to that preverbal state when they self-harm."
Why do kids cut their legs?
Cutting is a form of self-injury -- the person is literally making small cuts on his or her body, usually the arms and legs. It's difficult for many people to understand. But for kids, cutting helps them control their emotional pain, psychologists say. This practice has long existed in secrecy.
How can parents help their kids with stress?
Parents can help by providing emotional support, helping identify early warning signs, helping kids distract themselves, lowering the child's stress level , and providing supervision at critical times, Rosen says.
Can a girl get stitches without anesthesia?
There are all kinds of stories of girls getting stitched without anesthetic. The thing is, after they've self-injured, the girls are calmer -- so when they're getting stitches, they feel the pain. Yet the doctor is angry, wants to get this over with.". Psychotherapy should be the first step in treatment, Lader adds.
Does self injury cause feelings of good?
Psychiatrists believe that, for kids with emotional problems, self-injury has an effect similar to cocaine and other drugs that release endorphins to create a feel-good feeling.
Should parents watch for symptoms?
Parents should watch for symptoms and encourage kids to get help.
Does cutting more blood stop bleeding?
It takes more cutting to get the same relief -- much like drug addiction. And, for reasons I can't explain but have heard often enough, the more blood the better. Most of the cutting I see is quite superficial, and looks more like scratches than cuts. It's the sort that when you put pressure on it, it stops the bleeding."
Why is cutting a person dangerous?
Because it involves physical damage to the sufferer, cutting understandably evokes distress and fear in others. Viewed on a continuum, self-harming behavior can easily—though not always accurately—be interpreted as a precursor to suicidal behavior.
What advice did Deanne give to parents and therapists who are trying to help an adolescent?
. . You definitely don’t want the person to feel shame about it, ‘cause it will only make them want to do it more.” She insinuated that the young woman will have yet another reason to want to die.
Why is it important to remove sharp objects from a home?
It is wise to remove as many sharp objects as possible, understanding that adolescent self-injurers will harm with whatever is around. Tiny screws in the light switch, a stray staple in the carpet, jagged rocks, and the sharp edges of construction paper – it is impossible to remove all of these from a home or school. So why try? Because therapists, parents, and other caregivers send a message of compassion and concern when they remove the obvious, easily-accessible objects. We communicate that we are fully committed to the healing process, and we model safety in our physical surroundings. It sets us up to move into the most important part of therapy for self-harm: a nurturing, safe relationship.
How does a therapist help a young woman?
When a therapist or other caregiver helps a young woman reconnect with her identity , especially who she was as a child , it can be a powerful entry point for effective therapy and can help correct the problem. Often, the pain with which she is trying to cope has blinded her to any positive events in her past. Scrapbooks, photographs, and stories about her can be touchstones she can return to when she forgets who she is or is confused by the turmoil that the immediate pain causes in her life.
What to do if a therapist is not a caregiver?
If she is not, the concerned therapist, friend, or caregiver must report the abuse or neglect to the proper authorities and obtain professional counseling for the adolescent. Therapists, parents and other caregivers send a message of compassion and concern when they remove the obvious, easily-accessible objects.
How to take a memory walk with a struggling adolescent?
Therapists and parents can seize upon quiet moments of reflection to take a “memory walk” with a struggling adolescent. Building on the foundation of an affirming relationship, she will be more likely to listen when we tell her what we think of her. If we tie our stories to concrete events, to things which she cannot deny have happened, it adds credibility to our opinion of her, and she will eventually return to a more complete memory of herself. I like to call it “re-memory.”
How to stop hurting yourself?
If you have hurt yourself, write down what caused it to happen so in the future you can prevent it from happening. Play some kind of musical instrument. Even if you don’t really know how to play, picking out tunes is a way to concentrate and help get rid of the urge to harm yourself. Yoga. Allow yourself to cry.
How to help someone who is self injured?
Ask for help. Keep your doctor or mental health professional's phone number handy, and tell him or her about all incidents related to self-injury. Appoint a trusted family member or friend as the person you'll immediately contact if you have an urge to self-injure or if self-injuring behavior recurs.
How to treat self harming behavior?
There's no one best way to treat self-injuring behavior, but the first step is to tell someone so you can get help. Treatment is based on your specific issues and any related mental health disorders you might have, such as depression.
What to do if you injure yourself?
If you injure yourself severely or repeatedly, your doctor may recommend that you be admitted to a hospital for psychiatric care. Hospitalization, often short term, can provide a safe environment and more-intensive treatment until you get through a crisis. Mental health day treatment programs also may be an option.
How to stop self harming?
Try not to judge or criticize. Criticism, yelling, threats or accusations may increase the risk of self-injuring behavior. Offer support, praise efforts to express emotions in healthy ways and try to spend positive time together. Let your loved one know you care no matter what.
What is the first appointment for self injury?
Your first appointment may be with your family doctor, another health care provider, a school nurse or a counselor. But because self-injury often requires specialized mental health care, you may be referred to a mental health professional for evaluation and treatment.
How do you know if you have self injury?
Although some people may ask for help, sometimes self-injury is discovered by family members or friends. Or a doctor doing a routine medical exam may notice signs, such as scars or fresh injuries.
What is a diagnosis of self injury?
Diagnosis is based on a physical and psychological evaluation. You may be referred to a mental health professional with experience in treating self-injury for evaluation. A mental health professional may also evaluate you for other mental health disorders that may be linked to self-injury, such as depression or personality disorders.
What to do if your child is bleeding heavily?
Call 911 if: Your child is bleeding heavily. The wound is deep. The edges of the wound are gaping. The wound is spurting blood. You can't stop the bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure. An object has punctured the skin and is still in the body. The cut involves the eye or the cartilage of the nose or ear.
How to stop bleeding from a leg?
Keep up the pressure for a few minutes after the bleeding stops. Try to elevate the area where the wound is, such as the leg or arm. 4. Treat the Wound. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the area. If the wound is minor and unlikely to get dirty, let it heal in the open air.
Can you treat a child's scrape at home?
Cuts and scrapes are common in young children. Usually, parents can treat them at home.
