Why would someone want to hurt themselves deliberately, often to the extent of needing medical attention? Self-harm is one of the most puzzling and serious behaviours.
We all consider it normal to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Most of us need to stretch our imaginations even to glimpse the mental state of a self- harmer. And yet self-harm is a very subtle phenomenon. Lots of things we value or accept - ear-piercing, tattoos, nail-biting, body-piercing and even leg-waxing -can be a form of self-harm, and yet that doesn't stop a lot of people from doing them.
Self-harm is most prevalent among teenagers, especially girls, but out-of-school club workers and teachers are beginning to see worrying signs in the 'tween' (eight to 12 years old) group. All behaviour has meaning and it is worth thinking about how children develop the idea of self harm.
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