Why do young people self-harm?

Young people do not self-harm as a way of seeking attention. This is a myth. The three most common reasons why young people self-harm are:

• Tension relief – a number of young people are unable to deal with their unpleasant feelings and find self-harm as a way of relieving stress and tension.
• Self-punishment– young people who self-harm often have low self-esteem and feel that they are worthless or bad people who should be punished.
• To express distress – for some young people self-harm is a way of showing others how bad they are feeling. They may use this as a way of reaching out to get help.

Last updated: 15 August, 2016