What is self-harm?

Self-harm is an intentional act of harming oneself in order to release inner turmoil and is defined as self-poisoning or self-injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act.1

1 Self-harm is sometimes referred medically as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)

2 Self-harm in over 8s: Short-term management and prevention of Recurrence. Clinical guideline.
Published: 28 July 2004 nice.org.uk/guidance/cg16.

Self-harm includes:

  1. Self-injury which is when somebody purposefully injures their own body;
  2. Self-poisoning can include taking more than the recommended dosage of a medicine, purposefully taking a large amount of illegal drugs, or swallowing poisonous substances or objects

Self-harm facts:

  • Self-harm is an expression of severe emotional distress. It can stir up a lot of feelings and create a great deal of anxiety
  • Self-harm is sometimes secretive and it is likely that many parents or guardians will be unaware that there is a problem
  • Self-harm does happen in the adult population, women are more likely to self-harm than men, but self-harm is most prevalent in children and young people

1 Source Self-harm in over 8s: Short-term management and prevention of Recurrence. Clinical guideline. Published: 28 July 2004 nice.org.uk/guidance/cg16.

Throughout this resource there are video clips of two actors narrating the real-life experiences of  young people who have self-harmed. Watch the videos to learn about their experiences.

Angela's and Tim's stories

Angela's story

"Hi, I'm Angela. I'm 16 and have just left school. During the time I was self-harming, I think I seemed totally normal but inside I was not doing well. I was admitted to hospital after I took a load of paracetamol. This was when my parents found out that I was self-harming. They had no idea that it had been going on for over a year."

Tim's story

"My name's Tim. I'm sixteen and I'm in school doing my GCSE's. I started self-harming about two years ago. When it first started I mainly hit myself or banged my head against the wall. After a while I started cutting as well. I usually do it on my arms and the top of my legs; I also pick the scabs it makes them take ages to heal."

[Biographical account read by actors]