Self harm is often a way to cope with certain problems. It helps to express your feelings which can’t be defined in words or to release emotional pain. Folks, especially teens who resort to self harm feel better after a while. However, the painful feeling returns again, and the person develops a feeling to harm himself again. If the problem is left unattended, it can have adverse effects on the life of the teenager. Therefore, parents of such children must understand the criticalilty of the problem and take suitable steps to resolve teen depression that leads to self harm.
Understanding teen depression and self harm
Self harming gives a better feeling to the child with depression. Often a child in deep depression thinks that harming is the only way to come out of sadness, rage and other feelings. However, the relief obtained from harming doesn’t last longer. It is like slapping a sticker without paste. Though the sticker will stick to a particular place for a while, but it will come out of the place after some time and won’t stick to the spot for longer. Self harm is a dangerous act which can make your child violent. Therefore, parents must pay close attention to their children, especially those dealing with some kind of depression.
Signs of self harm
Children who harm them due to teen depression often carry out cutting and injuring themselves in a secret. The main reason is most of them are ashamed to cut or injure themselves in front of others. Since clothes can hide physical injuries and inner turmoil can be covered by apparently calm disposition, detecting self harm is a very difficult task. However, there are certain indications that will assist you to find out whether your child is injuring or cutting himself out of depression.
Unexplained scars or wounds from bruises, burns or cuts on wrist chest, arms or thighs can be a sign of self injury. Similarly, stains of blood on towels, clothing as well as tissue papers also signify self harm. If you find sharp objects such as razors, needles, knives and glass shards in the belongings of your child, you can suspect that your child is indulging in self injury.
Help with self harm
Now that you know that your child is cutting and harming himself out of deep depression, it’s time for you to take suitable steps to help your child come out of this unusual condition. First of all, initiate a conversation. Ask your child why he is hurting himself and why is he depressed. Making your child explain the reason for injury is the starting point in coping with injury.
After identifying the cause of teen depression and figure out ways to ease depression. Motivate your child to develop a positive feeling about him and the world. Make him feel that he is important to the world. Spend more time with him and help him to solve his problems; praise him for his contributions and work. In addition to this, take the help of a therapist to treat your child from his depression. All these steps will help your child to get out of teen depression.