What Every Parent Needs to Know About Self-Injury

Due to the complex factors that may contribute to self-injury and the risks associated with these behaviors, treatment from a licensed therapist with experience in this area is recommended. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are the most commonly used therapies to address self-injury. In some cases, additional consultation with a physician or psychiatrist may be warranted to help treat an underlying psychiatric condition.

Although some people who self-injure find success stopping on their own, most people do not grow out of self-injury without finding healthier ways to cope. Although self-injury is different from suicidal behavior, it is still concerning because it does increase risk for suicide.

Over time, hurting oneself can lead to increased feelings of shame and worthlessness which are also risk factors for suicide. Recovery is certainly possible!

Youth Suicide: What Every Parent Needs to Know | SMILE

Because self-injury is often used as a coping mechanism, recovery can occur when individuals are provided effective alternatives to manage their emotions. Of course, a youth needs to be motivated to stop self-injury for the road to recovery to begin. Motivation can be low when people feel they only have one tool to manage their pain. A skilled therapist will help youth who self-injure evaluate the role self-injury plays in their lives, challenge the idea that only self-injury can reduce distress, build self-confidence to choose healthier coping skills, establish clear emotional support networks, prepare for possible relapses and celebrate success along the way.

Kids and Self-Injury: What Parents Need to Know

If your child is having suicidal thoughts, take him or her to your local emergency room immediately or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at TALK Do not leave your child alone until you see a mental health professional. Let them know you will get through this together. Because many youth who self-injure hide their scars and do not wish others to know about this behavior, noticing signs of self-injury can be hard.

The following warning signs can alert parents that self-injuring may be occurring:. It is important to look for all of these warning signs if you suspect your child is engaging in self-injury. Although many youth who self-injure isolate themselves from others, some continue to hang out with friends and family and appear happy.

For more information about Nationwide Children's Hospital's Behavioral Health services, click here and to hear more about self-injurious behavior and treatments, listen to our PediaCast. Top misconceptions about self-injury. How does self-injury change feelings? Is social media making self-harm worse for teens? Self-injury - a general information guide.

The relationship between non-suicidal self- injury and suicide. Self-injurious behaviors in a college population. Watch for symptoms of depression or other problems, for example, not sleeping, failing classes, having trouble with concentration, attention, irritability, relationships, or feeling down, out of sorts, or bored. Most young people have never experienced depression and may not describe the symptoms well. You will learn more about depression in this program.

Learn QPR and become a suicide prevention gatekeeper. With suicide the 3 rd leading cause of death of young people, all parents, teachers and youth leaders should learn QPR.

QPR is the most widely taught emergency response to a youth crisis in America. It is taught by more than 2, Certified Instructors and more than , adults have been trained to help prevent suicide. QPR stands for Question, Persuade and Refer, an emergency mental health intervention that teaches lay and professional gatekeepers to recognize and respond positively to someone who may be exhibiting suicide warning signs and behaviors. According to the Surgeon General's National Strategy for Suicide Prevention , "key gatekeepers" are "people who regularly come into contact with individuals or families in distress" and gatekeeper training has been identified as one of a number of promising prevention strategies.

Key gatekeepers include a variety of professionals who are in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide, including, "teachers, school personnel, clergy, police officers, primary health care providers, mental health care providers, correctional personnel, and emergency health care personnel. Gatekeeper training is seen as a promising approach to preventing youth suicide. CPR stands for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, an emergency medical intervention created by Peter Safar in CPR is part of the "Chain of Survival" model of emergency cardiac care.

The likelihood that a victim will survive a cardiac arrest increases when each of the following four links is connected: QPR teaches potential gatekeepers how to recognize, intervene, and refer at-risk youth for professional evaluation and help. For QPR to be effective the following four links in a chain of survival must also be in place: The sooner warning signs are detected, the sooner an intervention can be initiated.

Directly asking someone emitting suicide warning signs opens a potentially life-saving, caring dialogue which may a immediately reduce anxiety and distress and b enhance protective factors to decrease risk factors, e. As with any life-threatening crisis or illness, early detection, assessment and treatment result in reduced morbidity and mortality.

The goal of QPR training is to enhance the probability that a potentially suicidal youth is identified and referred for assessment and care before a suicide attempt or completion occurs. Thus, most youth at risk for suicide suffer in silence and go undetected and untreated.

Youth Suicide: What Every Parent Needs to Know

When QPR is applied as it is taught, it delivers a strong and positive response to someone showing warning signs of a pending suicide event. Just as the prompt recognition of the scream of a smoke detector can eliminate the need to suppress a raging fire, so too can the early recognition of suicide warning signs, confirming their presence, and opening a supportive, caring dialogue with a suicidal youth prevent the need for an emergency room visit or a psychiatric hospitalization.

The interaction between a trained and caring adult gatekeeper and an at-risk youth may lead to improving protective factors, enhancing knowledge and decision making, and building resiliency to deal with conflicts and challenges in healthier ways. QPR is currently being investigated for effectiveness in a wide variety of settings and in several major research projects funded by the U.

The potential of gatekeeper training programs has been documented as a promising tool in school settings to enhance intervention for youth at elevated risk for suicide. Research findings are encouraging with regard to enhanced knowledge, improved attitudes, preparation for coping with a crisis, and referral practices. QPR is taught by Certified Instructors in classroom settings and takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

The training to become a certified instructor requires eight to 10 hours of work. Eastern Washington University and the QPR Institute also offer advanced training programs targeted toward professionals who have responsibility for the health and safety of those they serve. To learn more about these college credits, CEU or non-credit online courses and programs, or to learn QPR online, please visit www.

This is an exciting time in youth suicide prevention. Social policy is changing.

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New funding is available from the federal government. Leadership is emerging at the local, state and federal levels and new jobs in suicide prevention are being created. Lives are being saved, and youth suicide rates are trending downward.

1. The Life of Jesus (TREDITION CLASSICS).
2. Kids and Self-Injury: What Parents Need to Know?
3. CHEO - Self-Harm.
4. How do self - harm behaviours develop?!
5. .
6. What You Need To Know About: Self-Harm.

As an informed, educated parent, you can help make all the difference, if not in the life of your own child, perhaps in the life one of your child friends, or a youth you know through religious settings. If you are interested in a career in suicide prevention, a new hour special certificate in suicide prevention is now offered on campus by the School of Social Work and Human Services at Eastern Washington University.

It is the only certificate program of its kind in the United States. As a thank you, SMILE wishes to make you aware of a free best-selling e-book about suicide written to those thinking about suicide and those who know, love and counsel them. It is available as free download and may be copied or printed and given to anyone you like.