Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can manifest in many ways; cutting, burning, and biting are among the most common. As a parent, finding out that your child is engaging in these behaviors is equally heartbreaking and terrifying. Education is vital to support and understand your child and get them the needed help. Below are the top three things that parents need to know about NSSI.
1.) These behaviors are not suicide attempts.
A common misconception is that every individual who engages in NSSI wants to attempt suicide. While there is a positive relationship between NSSI and suicidality, NSSI does not always indicate suicidality. Suicidality rates rise with recurrent NSSI incidents, which is why prompt and proper care is so critical.
2.) NSSI is a maladaptive coping mechanism
Individuals who engage in self-harming behaviors often do so to cope with emotional stress. The goal of NSSI is to relieve the emotional pressure or distract from distress. NSSI is not always indicative of a mental health disorder, but it does mean that your child is experiencing more than they can cope with.
3.) It is most prevalent in adolescence.
NSSI rates are highest in adolescents, meaning 17% of adolescents worldwide have engaged in NSSI at least once, whereas the lifetime prevalence of NSSI is 5% (APA, 2015). Many individuals who struggle with NSSI in adolescence make a full recovery.
So what do I do?
1.) Engage with Curiosity and Care
Panic may be a natural, understandable reaction; however, this type of response inhibits authentic engagement from your child. Instead, approach your child with curiosity and care. Let them know you love and support them, and encourage them to reach out for help when needed. It is not uncommon for adolescents to decline these invitations, but you offer them anyway.
2.) Seek Professional Help
If your child is engaging in self-harm behaviors, seeking professional counseling is highly recommended. Your child’s counselor will collaborate with you and your child to make a safety plan and work through the emotional stress driving the self-harming behaviors.
Talking about self-harm is incredibly difficult, but breaking the silence is the first step to healing. There is hope, and you are not alone.
References/Further reading on NSSI