Teens face social, emotional, and academic pressure every day. As their bodies continue to grow and develop through hormonal changes, daily pressures can become increasingly stressful. Many teens struggle to engage with their families and ask for mental and emotional support. For many teens, feelings of isolation and low self-esteem can lead to self-harm. Today, many mental health programs include self-harm treatment programs for teens. These programs can help teens recover, regain balance, and live happier lives.
If your teen is engaging in self-harm or you suspect self-harmful behavior, call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. We work with adolescent boys struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Call us today 866.300.5275 or visit our website to get started with our self-harm treatment programs.
What Is Teen Self-Harm?
Self-harm is increasingly common among teens today. Academic stress, family life, social media, and hormonal changes can lead teenagers to engage in forms of self-harm. Cutting is one of the most common types of self-harm, followed by burning and other self-inflicted wounds. For many struggling with psychological pain, cutting provides an emotional release and physical pain. Through physical self-harm, teenagers may feel more control over their lives, bodies, and general well-being. Self-harm behavior may seem sudden or like a one-time occurrence.
Behaviors like cutting and burning can be a symptom of a mental health disorder. Teens struggling with mental health issues will often act out by cutting themselves or engaging in other types of physical self-harm. These mental health issues include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
A qualified therapist can treat these mental health disorders in a self-harm treatment program. Therapists can help teenagers and their families address the causes of harmful behavior and create a home environment where teens feel emotionally and physically safe.
Dangers of Self-Harm for Teens
Behaviors like cutting or burning one’s skin often point to deeper issues. For many teenagers today, social media negatively affects their mental health. Social media use can cause teens to feel isolated, unworthy, and unfulfilled in their own lives. Self-harm can often relate to a personal loss. If a teen has recently lost a loved one, been a child of divorce, or undergone a social or natural disaster, they are more likely to engage in self-harm. For many, self-harm can also be a way to claim autonomy in their body after a traumatic event.
For many, self-harming behavior is a coping mechanism. Over time, a teenager may need to increase the frequency or severity of their behavior to feel the same level of stress relief. This can lead to reckless behavior, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse. If you suspect your teen is cutting or engaging in other self-harming behavior, seek a treatment program today.
Treatment programs can offer teen group therapy, coping strategies, and healthy ways to manage stress. In these programs, teens work one of one with therapists to build healthy habits and address the root cause of their self-harm. Group therapy can make teens feel less isolated and develop social skills to help them in daily life.
Get Help for Self-Harm at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
Unfortunately, teenagers engage in self-harming behavior every day. Often unnoticed by family and friends, self-harm can cause lasting effects. Because behavior like cutting often points to mental health disorders, it’s essential to seek professional help if your teen is exhibiting signs of self-harm.
At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we focus on holistic healing for adolescents. We offer group, family, equine, and individual therapy to support teenage boys struggling with co-occurring disorders and substance abuse. Our holistic therapies help teens reconnect to the world around them and overcome the root of self-harming behavior. Call us 866.300.5275 today to learn more about our treatment and therapy programs.
