People of all ages self-harm. Not just teenagers. It just wasn’t as prominently talked about in past years. Some sort of stress-related problem is usually the cause. The reasons may not be understood by others because everyone takes in stress differently. When my mom is dealing with stress, she works and works and works, barely stopping to eat. Now I, on the other hand, usually slow right down and try to process what is stressing me out. I go into a form of a depressive state. Some people, though, cut or perform some other style of self-harm.
Some stress-related reasons could be:
- Inability to handle school or work issues
- Being bullied (this happens at all ages)
- Worrying about being able to pay the bills or provide for family needs
- Abuse: this can be any kind of abuse; physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
- Grieving over the loss of a loved one
- Problems in a relationship
- Debilitating illnesses
- Inability to handle, on their own, mental health issues: anger, anxiety, depression, etc.
- Sexuality: either confusion, or knowing and feeling unable to be themselves
Other reasons people self-harm could be a way to escape problems, or to express issues:
- Some see self-harm as a way to “poetically” express themselves, when they cannot find the words. Writing poetry generally is a way of expressing personal feelings.
- Some people are depressed on the inside and feel a need to portray it on the outside.
- There are some who feel no control in their lives, and find self-harm as a way of controlling “something” in their lives.
- Some self-harm to show others that they are on the verge of a breakdown or suicide. They usually really want a way to “fix” a problem but do not know how. Sometimes cutting is a way to express suicidal tendencies without actually taking their own life.
If you need help understanding what your daughter may be going through, try the following link:
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/cutting-and-self-harm.htm