How can you avoid self-harm?
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSI) is an increasingly common phenomenon among adolescents. This trend is evident both in our work with adolescents and in health promotion and prevention programs implemented in schools.
The reasons that teenagers themselves give to justify self-harm can be varied, but inappropriate management of stressful life events is usually the main trigger.
Most self-harm occurs in the context of negative emotions, may or may not be impulsive, and in many cases is not related to the presence of a mental disorder, but rather to intolerance of frustration and emotional distress related to a thought or situation evaluated in negative terms.
Self-harm in young people
The behavior itself has, in the short term, a relaxing effect on an emotional level and can produce some pleasure from the transgressive act itself, aspects that can contribute to reinforcing and maintaining these behaviors.
Social media has often contributed to the spread and "normalization" of self-harm, facilitating social exposure and acceptance of it, and providing secondary benefits that further reinforce the behavior. This reinforcement fosters the idea of self-harm as an effective method for resolving problems and managing the stress they generate. In some cases, self-harm can also be a marker of identity, conferring a sense of belonging to a particular group or urban subculture, creating a contagious effect among its members.
In any case, studies indicate that self-harm is one of the most important factors in suicide attempts, although other variables such as depressive symptoms or the severity of the symptoms could modulate this risk.
If you have this problem or are a family member of someone who self-harms, you'll want to know that there are different strategies to try to prevent it . Not all of them work the same way, since the triggers and motivations are different for each person.
The impulse is fleeting. Think about it: if you don't give in to the impulse and wait long enough, you'll be better off.
Things you can do while that impulse passes to avoid self-harm:
- Take a shower. The change of scenery, the change of situation, and the calming effect of the hot water will help you change your mood and break out of the loop.
- Call a friend and go for a walk, exercise , or do any other activity that requires you to be physically active.
- Put on your favorite music and start dancing.
- Take deep breaths .
- Tear up papers, make pieces as small as you need.
- Always keep a stress ball handy that you can squeeze.
- Rub your skin with an ice cube.
- Make a list of the positive aspects of your personality and your abilities . Ask those closest to you, your family and friends.
Once you have the list, put it in your room in a very visible place and refer to it whenever you need to.
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