What are boys less likely to do than girls?

Boys have been brought up in a culture to stuff feelings. Big boys don't cry. Handle it. Don't ask for help. Man up. And the messages go on. So when it comes to self-injury they go mum.

Why should we be concerned? People often keep it a secret, but the urge to self-injure isn’t uncommon. Over two million Americans currently engage in self-injury. Furthermore, self-injury ranges from 12% to 37% in all adolescents and 12% to 20% in young adult populations. But people of all ages practice self-injury.

Myth: One of the misconceptions is that only females do it. While girls 14-17 are hospitalized 4 times more often than boys, 30-40% of people who self-injure are males with the highest segment being white male adolescents

Self-injury means hurting yourself on purpose. For boys the most common method is hitting themselves or an object like a wall or cigarette burns. The most common among girls is cutting with a sharp object or pulling out hair or picking at wounds to prevent healing.

Myth: People who self-injure enjoy the pain or can’t feel it. Self-injury most often hurts. Sometimes feeling the pain is the whole point – to reconnect with their own body or just to feel something.

Myth: Self-injury is untreatable. Although it can be difficult to control or stop, most people are able to stop at some point. Because it is most often used as a coping mechanism, however, the practice typically does not stop until the individual has other methods to cope and is fully ready to stop.

Myth: Self-injury is a suicide attempt. Most studies find that self-injury is often undertaken as a means of avoiding suicide. What is important is to get a handle on it before the pattern gets well established since 70% of those with a history of self-injury have attempted suicide at least once

Myth: There’s nothing I can do. There are many ways you can help. The easiest is by just listening and be as supportive and understanding as you can. Most importantly, don’t give up. Instead of scolding or looking down on someone for doing this, just let them know you care.

March is Self-Injury Awareness Month so take this time to learn more at https://bit.ly/2PopEPk

  zeroattempts.org/selfinjury.html

If you, or someone you care about is in crisis and you think immediate action is needed, text SOS to 741741,contact your doctor or mental health crisis services, or go to your local emergency room.

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Gordon Clay
Brookings, OR
Chair, Curry County
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Council

Note: Data taken from Relations between non suicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior in adolescence at https://bit.ly/2V7cutT