Young adults, they’re known to be moody or very emotional due to the experience of puberty or maturing. Emotions seem to run wild and to most parents, this is a common and normal phase for their children. Almost every adult would look at an overly upset teenager, and simply write it off as “teenage angst.” Which is why depression, self-harm, and suicides involving teenagers have become such a drastic social issue. It is easy to ignore and simply pass off as mood swings until the child has taken more drastic measures such as attempting suicide, committing suicide, or harming themselves physically. Last recorded in 2011, suicide was the third leading cause of teenage death (CDC). Parents, teachers, and even teenage peers need to know more about the signs and real causes of self-harm, suicide, and depression.
Self-harm is when someone causes physical damage to themselves in any way, usually involving scratching, cutting, and even burning various parts of the body. Some people may wonder why anyone would cause themselves physical pain under depressing or stressful situations; some may even pass it off as a cry for attention. The truth behind self-harm is most commonly to release emotional pain, or distract themselves from the stress and problems they handle in life. It becomes a way to cope with personal distress or emotional pain that they feel they can not express in any other way (helpguide). Though, as stated by Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal, “Relief that comes from self-harming doesn’t last very long. It’s like slapping on a Band-Aid when what you really need are stitches.” Eventually, the pain comes back and the urge to do so again returns.
These problems can go unnoticed and unresolved for long periods of time. This is because most people who self-harm hide it out of shame or fear that no one would understand (HelpGuide.org). Kevin Caruso interviewed a teenage girl who harms herself on a regular basis.She said, "I have 32 scars on my arms and legs. I don't want to do this anymore, but it takes the pain away. If I didn't cut myself, I'd cry, and that would be the worst thing.I always take a shower after I cut myself because they bleed a lot. Then I wear pants the next day to hide it." She later...
