As a society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the problem of deliberate self-injury. Recent research suggests that rates of self-harm in the UK are the highest in Europe, affecting at least one in 15 young people. Many are afraid to seek help due to the stigma that still surrounds this issue. This book looks at the rising problem of non-fatal self-harm, as well as the issue of suicide.
The information comes from a wide range of sources and includes government reports and statistics, newspaper reports, features, magazine articles and surveys, literature from lobby groups and charitable organisations.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Self-Injury
Understanding self-harm, Self-harm and young people, Teenagers’ epidemic of self-harm, Girls and self-harm, Myths and stereotypes, Hurting themselves, Talking about self-harm, My self-harm story, Truth hurts, Self-harm and Scotland’s older people, Stop self-harming, Minimising self-harm damage, Health professionals ‘misunderstand self-harm’, Self-harm and suicide.
Chapter Two: Suicide
Suicide and attempted suicide, Suicide advice, The warning signs of suicide, Lowest suicide rate since records began, One life lost every 40 seconds, Gender split in suicide risk factors, One in seven ‘contemplates suicide’, Scotland has the highest suicide rates in Britain, Suicides, New drive to reduce suicide rate for young men, Suicide and the media, Suicide websites, Internet suicide pacts.
Key Facts
Glossary
Additional Resources
Index
Acknowledgements
• Although some very young children are known to self-harm and some adults too, the available research evidence indicates that average age of onset is 12 years old. (page 4)
• A hidden epidemic of self-harm is affecting teenagers across Britain, with one adolescent in 12 deliberately injuring themselves on a regular basis. (page 5)
• Research shows that over 40 per cent of adults think young people who self-harm are attention-seeking, one in three feel they are manipulative and 15 per cent believe it is the sign of a failed suicide attempt. (page 6)
• Some evidence suggests that rates of self-harm in the UK are higher than anywhere else in Europe. (page 17)
• The national suicide rate is at its lowest level since records began, according to the third annual report of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy published in April 2006. (page 31)
• Globally, every three seconds someone attempts to take his or her own life and almost one million deaths a year are by suicide. This is higher than the total number of deaths each year from homicide and road accidents combined. (page 32)
• One in seven Britons has contemplated suicide. (page 33)
• Suicide is the most common cause of death in young men – last year almost 1,000 young men took their own lives. (page 36)
Self-Harm Study Guide
Each book in the Issues series has a study guide. These four-page guides provide a variety of discussion points and other activities to suit a wide range of ability levels and interests.
Publisher: Independence Educational Publishers
Price: £1.50
ISBN: 978 1 861668 413 4
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