Children are showing an upward trend in their sadistic behavior. Statistics revealed that self harming incidents among children under fifteen have mounted by a ratio of one third in the last couple of six years.
Children’s aid organizations have reported an increase in the number of cases involving self harm by cutting, suicides attempts and eating disorders. Reasons laid by them for such a rising trend are bullying, family breakdown and eating disorders.
The most recent figures available revealed that more than 4,500 boys and girls aged 14 or under were treated in hospitals around the UK for self-harm last year - a rise of 1,431 in the last six years.
Doctors hold the view that an overdose of drugs has been a major cause of suicide attempts.
Ratio of self harm:
1. In 2005-6, nine in ten among 4575 teenager were hospitalized due to overdosing of drugs.
2. The number of children using a sharp object to hurt themselves has also quadrupled since 2000.
3. More than a million youngsters are suffering from depression.
4. 37 youngsters tried to hang, strangle or suffocate themselves last year.
Talking about the figures, Angie Brown, of the charity ChildLine, said,
These figures are very worrying and one of the reasons for this is that there is an awful lot of pressure on youngsters to conform in the way they look. A lot of children-will feel they don’t fit in and that kind of pressure goes along with eating disorders which is also a form of self-harm. We get children as young as 11 feeling upset with the way they look and being bullied.
Treatment
Treatment often involves both individual and family work. Individuals will need help with how to cope with the very difficult feelings that cause self-harm. Families often need help in working out how to make sure that the dangerous behavior doesn’t happen again and how to give the support that is needed. If depression or anxiety is part of the problem, these will need treating.
Occasionally, intensive help may be needed. Sometimes, recovery from very damaging or traumatic experiences happens slowly. Then specialist help is needed over a longer period of time.
However, curing depression which leads to self harm is not a difficult job, it only requires a little of patience and some strong will power.
