Читать книгу What Every Parent Needs to Know About Self-Injury - Tonja Krautter - Страница 22

Those who self-injure are desperately trying to give voice to pain that has no words. The origin of this pain is different for each individual. As mentioned in the previous chapter, these reasons may include tension reduction, self-punishment, a sense of belonging, and the desire to “feel alive” or conversely a way to “numb” their pain.

Understanding the specific reasons an individual is self-harming is essential in order to achieve a successful recovery. However, one thing that self-injurers tend to have in common is their unwillingness or inability to verbally express emotional distress. Therefore, gaining insight and knowledge about why your child engages in self-injurious behavior may not be easy. In fact, most kids are unwilling to talk about this behavior and keep it a secret, particularly from their parents.

To make matters even more complex, often self-injury is a symptom of a more serious mental illness such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depression or Bipolar Disorder. If this is the case, treating the underlying illness is highly recommended as it will lead to improved psychological well-being and aid in the recovery process for self-injury. However, parents will not necessarily know if there is an underlying mental health issue until their child is evaluated by a professional. This evaluation usually does not occur until there is acknowledgement of the problem.

Although self-injurious behavior is usually concealed rather than flaunted, it has received enough attention in the media to make the topic less “taboo” and therefore more frequently discussed. Perhaps these barriers were first broken down years ago when Hollywood stars such as Roseanne Barr and Johnny Depp as well as royal favorite, Princess Diana, admitted to the behavior. Fortunately, recognition of this problem has led to an increase in treatment intervention.