Learn about the causes of Self Harm & find a practitioner in Auckland, Hamilton, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin to help you overcome Self Harm within New Zealand.
Self-harm is a deliberate injury inflicted by a person on their own body, and is a symptom of underlying psychological distress. It can be associated with mental illness, eating disorders or a history of abuse.
Causes of self-harm
There is a variety of reasons why people self-harm and many individuals
are unaware why they do so. The common belief why people self-harm is
as a way for expressing pent-up emotions and feelings whereas for other
people it is a way of dealing with a specific problem.
In the
majority of cases, self-harm is carried out due to difficulties in
childhood or adolescence but self-harming can be associated with:
The common symptom of self-harm is unexplained injuries to the body
such as cuts, burns or bruises typically on the wrists, forearms,
thighs or chest. Someone who self-harms will go to great lengths to
conceal injuries by wearing clothes which cover the damage or harming
in areas of the body that are easily concealed.
Self-harm is
typically a symptom of an underlying mental health condition such as
depression or psychological and emotional problems such as low
self-esteem, distress, self-loathing or grief.
Diagnosis of self-harm
Self-harm is typically carried out in secret and if the individual
doesn't want to seek help themselves it can be difficult for family and
friends to recognise the problem and encourage them to visit a GP.
On
seeking help, a GP will discuss the problem with you and try to
identify the underlying cause for self-harming. This will usually
require a referral to a mental health specialist.
*Source: GoToSee.co.uk
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