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Depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and other psychological conditions can take people to extremely dark places and, if left untreated can lead to self-harming behaviors. Teens and young adults are particularly susceptible.

Cutting is a type of self-harm in which teens deliberately cut or scratch themselves with knives, razor blades, or other sharp objects, but not with any intention of trying to commit suicide.

Other self-harm behaviors can include head-banging, branding or burning their skin, overdosing on medications, and strangulation.

These behaviors are more common than you might think with an estimated range of 6.4% to 30.8% of teens admitting to trying to harm themselves while struggling with depression

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Why Teens Cut Themselves

Parents and pediatricians often have a hard time understanding why teens would cut or do other things to harm themselves.

Not surprisingly, cutting is a complex behavioral problem and is often associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression,anxiety, and eating disorders.Teens who cut themselves are more likely to have friends who cut themselves, low self-esteem, a history ofabuse, and/or thoughts of committing suicide.

While it is sometimes seen as an attention-seeking behavior, cutting is a way for kids to release tension, relieve feelings of sadness or anger, or distract themselves from their problems.

An Overview of Self-Harm and Cutting

Signs of Cutting

Cutting is most common in teens and young adults—especially among teen girls—and often starts around age 12-14.

Teens who cut themselves are usually described as being impulsive. Some are also described as being overachievers.

In terms of warning signs and red flags, your teen may be cutting if she:

Treatments

It is critical to seek treatment for your teen right away if she is cutting, both to help treat any underlying psychiatric problems, like depression or anxiety and to prevent cutting from becoming a bad habit. The longer a teen cuts herself, the harder it becomes to break the habit.

Cutting can also lead to more problems later in life. In fact, the S.A.F.E. Alternatives (Self Abuse Finally Ends) treatment program describes cutting as ‘ultimately a dangerous and futile coping strategy which interferes with intimacy, productivity, and happiness.‘

These are some forms of treatment that may help your teen quit cutting and learn healthier coping strategies.

How to Help Teens Who Cut Themselves

Psychotherapy

Remember, it can sometimes be hard for a teen to completely open up to a parent, so talking to someone who is removed from their everyday lives might be easier for your child.

The Best Online Therapy ProgramsWe’ve tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain.

Psychiatry

Treatment Center

You might look for a treatment center in your area that specializes in cutting. The name of the treatment center might include the phrases “self-harm,” “self-injury,” or “self-mutilation.”

Support Group

Treatment for cuttingwill likely focus on helping the teen develop healthier coping mechanisms when faced with feelings of anger, stress, or sadness. It will also help boost a teen’s self-esteem, help manage any underlying psychiatric problems, and help make sure that the teen isn’t having thoughts ofsuicide.

The 7 Best Online Therapy Programs for Kids

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Monto MA, Mcree N, Deryck FS.Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among a Representative Sample of US Adolescents, 2015.Am J Public Health. 2018;108(8):1042-1048. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304470Lenkiewicz K, Racicka E, Bruńska A.Self-injury- placement in mental disorders classifications, risk factors and primary mechanisms. Review of the literature.Psychiatria Polska. 2017;51(2):323-334. doi:10.12740/pp/62655Stallard P, Spears M, Montgomery AA, Phillips R, Sayal K.Self-harm in young adolescents (12-16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13:328. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-328Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Self-injury In adolescents. Updated January 2019.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Monto MA, Mcree N, Deryck FS.Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among a Representative Sample of US Adolescents, 2015.Am J Public Health. 2018;108(8):1042-1048. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304470Lenkiewicz K, Racicka E, Bruńska A.Self-injury- placement in mental disorders classifications, risk factors and primary mechanisms. Review of the literature.Psychiatria Polska. 2017;51(2):323-334. doi:10.12740/pp/62655Stallard P, Spears M, Montgomery AA, Phillips R, Sayal K.Self-harm in young adolescents (12-16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13:328. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-328Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Self-injury In adolescents. Updated January 2019.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Monto MA, Mcree N, Deryck FS.Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among a Representative Sample of US Adolescents, 2015.Am J Public Health. 2018;108(8):1042-1048. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304470Lenkiewicz K, Racicka E, Bruńska A.Self-injury- placement in mental disorders classifications, risk factors and primary mechanisms. Review of the literature.Psychiatria Polska. 2017;51(2):323-334. doi:10.12740/pp/62655Stallard P, Spears M, Montgomery AA, Phillips R, Sayal K.Self-harm in young adolescents (12-16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13:328. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-328

Monto MA, Mcree N, Deryck FS.Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among a Representative Sample of US Adolescents, 2015.Am J Public Health. 2018;108(8):1042-1048. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304470

Lenkiewicz K, Racicka E, Bruńska A.Self-injury- placement in mental disorders classifications, risk factors and primary mechanisms. Review of the literature.Psychiatria Polska. 2017;51(2):323-334. doi:10.12740/pp/62655

Stallard P, Spears M, Montgomery AA, Phillips R, Sayal K.Self-harm in young adolescents (12-16 years): onset and short-term continuation in a community sample.BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13:328. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-328

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Self-injury In adolescents. Updated January 2019.

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