28. March 2006 10:38
As a result of a new inquiry the British Government has been urged to launch a national scheme to tackle the problem of self-harming among young people.
A two-year inquiry has found that as many as one in 15 young people in Britain have self-harmed, and the average age for a child to start self-harming has been estimated at age 12.
The report 'Truth Hurts', was conducted by the Camelot Foundation and the Mental Health Foundation, and found that more than 24,000 teenagers are admitted to hospital every year for deliberately hurting themselves.
The inquiry focused on people aged 11 to 25, the age range among which rates of self-harm are highest.
The Government is being called upon to take action to tackle the problem of self-harming among young people as a lack of understanding about the condition is preventing victims from getting the support they need.
An awareness campaign for parents and professionals working with young people has been recommended amid calls for further staff education and training and for more information aimed at removing the stigma of self-harm.
The inquiry revealed that young people who self-harm are more likely to turn to friends their own age for help, rather than relatives, teachers or doctors.
Experts believe self-harm is a coping mechanism for dealing with difficult emotions, and the most common methods involve cutting, burning, scalding or scratching the body, breaking bones, pulling hair or swallowing toxic substances.
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