There has been an increase in the number of teenagers and young adults who have resorted to physically hurting themselves while in school or college. A study in the July edition of 'Pediatrics' has brought to light the scale of self harm occurring.
Janice Whitlock who led the study, analyzed reactions from students of Ivy League schools Cornell and Princeton, through an Internet survey. Of the 2875 male and female participants, around 17% reported having resorted to inflicting self pain in the form of burns, cuts and bruises. This behavior however is not restricted to these prestigious schools only, but is also reflected in public schools as observed by psychologist Richard Lieberman.
He supports his claim by pointing out instances of fourth-grade students with burn marks on their arms and of a group of frenzied seventh-grade girls from public schools who had purposely made cuts on their arms. Observers do notice however, that regular self abusers are more female than male and likely to also suffer from eating disorders.
No one reason can be pinned down as the cause behind these alarming behaviors. Many psychologists claim previous sexual, physical or verbal abuse as an important factor. Self-injury then, helps the youngster to display these abstract, deep wounds. It can then be prevented by sublimating their pain through better channels, allowing them to cope with it effectively.
However, the reasons are not always personal and could also reflect a larger issue like the increasing stress youngsters in college face today. On a more physiological level, behaviours like these also allow one a feeling of high, “a little rush” as Sarah Rodney, 20, puts it. The physical pain of the wound creates in response endorphins, or feel-good hormones – another catalyst in repeated self-injury.
In the case of groups collectively engaging in such behavior, one might also attribute the 'follow the leader' mentality as a cause. In such cases, the hurt is first inflicted by one troubled member of the group and the rest follow suit either to offer sympathy or to avoid being left out.
Now, several treatment programs are available such as Self Abuse Finally Ends (SAFE) in Chicago which includes physical and psychological treatment. However, as author of 'No More Pain: Breaking the Silence of Self Injury, Vicki Duffy emphasizes, these cures are not permanent and the person faces a battle with himself or herself, always.
