Self-harm is any act in which a person causes harm or pain to their own body on purpose. More common in women than men, self-harm doesn’t indicate a person wants to kill themselves. However, those who self-harm are at a higher risk than others for suicide.
If your loved one is struggling with self-harm, or you are battling thoughts of hurting yourself, call 988 for immediate help or visit Willow Creek Behavioral Health. We offer critical care in your most important times of need.
Why Self-Harm Happens
Self-harm often develops in teens or early adult years. For some, the actions occur just a few times and then stop. For others, they continue and, in some cases, they become increasingly more worrisome. But why?
There are multiple reasons self-harm tendencies develop. For some, it creates a sense of relief when coping with a problem. For others, it moves the thoughts away from feeling lonely or angry, and allows them to focus on something else. Some people who self-harm say that when they do so, they feel less hopeless.
Signs Your Loved One Is Self-Harming
Not all instances of self-harm are obvious. Some examples of how a person may engage in self-harming actions include:
- Cutting the skin with any type of sharp object
- Hitting or punching themselves or punching things like a wall
- Breaking bones or causing bruises
- Burning themselves with candles, matches, or cigarettes
- Piercing the skin with sharp objects
Notably, many people who engage in self-harm don’t do so for attention and may even hide what they are doing very well. Look for scars, fresh cuts and bruises without explanations, bite marks, or talking about feeling worthless. These could all indicate a bigger problem that demands attention.
Knowing What’s Happening With Your Teen
Self-harm in adolescents can indicate a significant need for mental health support. Many teens engage in these actions due to emotional disconnection, stress relief, or as a result of peer pressure. Sometimes, teens engage in these actions to feel real, especially if they don’t feel cared about or valued.
Recognize that self-harm in teens is not a normal part of teen anxiety or mood swings. It’s a serious mental health condition that warrants treatment in a specialized care center. We can help at Willow Creek.
How Is Self-Harm Behavior Treated?
There’s no single course of treatment that’s right for every person. However, the ultimate goal for many is to allow a person to feel as if they are in control again. Psychotherapy, such as one-on-one counseling, can be a very important part of treatment.
A psychiatrist will ask important questions about what is happening as well as gather a medical and mental health history for a person. There’s no simple blood test to look for a problem, though. Instead, it becomes critical to use talk therapy to gather more information.
Our treatment programs for self-harm often include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: This is a type of treatment that focuses on recognizing negative thought patterns and how they put a person at risk for various behaviors. You’ll learn coping skills to overcome those challenges.
- Psychodynamic therapy: This type of therapy specifically focuses on your past. It looks at experiences and the emotions that often go along with them, with the goal of better understanding the core origin of this pain.
- Dialectical behavior therapy: This treatment helps a person develop positive coping methods.
A person facing self-harm cannot just stop. And, even if they did just stop, doing so doesn’t correct the underlying concerns and causes of this activity. That means it may surface in other ways.
What Treatment Looks Like
With treatment for self-harm, it’s possible to resolve those negative, often inaccurate thought patterns to develop more effective ways of managing stress. In situations where a person is facing a serious risk of harm to themselves or engaging in recurrent episodes of self-harm, our inpatient treatment programs become a critical resource. Do not hesitate to request help from our team.
We help children and adolescents engaged in self-harm behaviors. We also work with adults and older adults who are facing critical situations. If you are at risk, or your loved one is facing repeated concerns, don’t wait to seek help.
Reach Out to Us Now for Immediate Help for Self-Harm
Our self-harm treatment program in Green Bay provides immediate and effective treatment for some of the most complex mental health disorders. You don’t have to live like this, and you shouldn’t. Instead, work with Willow Creek Behavioral Health to enter into a treatment plan that allows you to recover in a safe, protected environment.
Contact us now to learn how we can help you. Walk right in. We provide immediate assessment and support.
