Self-Mutilation

1. Self-Mutilation Genevieve Johnston Koki Tomita Jennifer Norton Richard Kurk

2. What is Self- Mutilation? Self-mutilating behaviors (SM) include self-harm, self-abuse, self-inflicted violence and self- injurious behavior (Bear & Minke, 2006). It is considered to be an extremely self-destructive and addictive behavior.

3. Statistics In the U.S., it's estimated that one in every 200 girls between 13 and 19 years old, or one-half of one percent, cut themselves regularly. Those who cut comprise about 70 percent of teen girls who self injure.

4. Statistics Despite the lack of definite numbers, researchers approximately there are three million Americans who engage in some form of self-injury, and 90% of them began in adolescence (Bowman & Randall, 2004 ). Favazza (1996) has estimated that around 750 to 1,400 adolescents per 100,000 engage in this behavior at some point in their life.

5. Research The Mayo Clinic explains that it is not meant as a suicide attempt nor is it part of a socially acceptable cultural or artistic expression or ritual, such as tattooing. Rather, self-injury is an unhealthy effort to cope with overwhelming negative emotions, such as intense anger, tension and frustration.

6. What to do? Parents who discover their child is cutting typically are shocked and immediately blame themselves for failing as a parent. Therapists say that parental self-blame is NOT helpful. Remember, cutting is a behavioral sign of a deeper underlying problem. The goal should not be to get your child to "stop cutting," but to treat the deeper problem so your teen develops more mature coping skills and no longer feels the need to self-injure.

7. How does “cutting” impact learning? Teenagers who are self-mutilators tend to suffer from: • Anger, hostility, and frustration • Alienation, isolation, disconnection, rejection, and loneliness • Sadness, depression, and simply feeling bad These factors infer with the ability to learn and stay focused.

8. Where is it found in the standards? • Topic: “Cutting Behaviors in 9th to 12th Graders”  • Standard 1: Essential Concepts • 1.1.G Describe physical, social, and emotional changes associated with being a young adult. • 1.3.M Describe healthy ways to express caring, friendship, affection, and love. • 1.4.M Describe qualities that contribute to a positive self-image. • 1.5.M Describe how social environments affect health and well-being. • Justification: The stress and anxiety this age-group experiences in these domains can lead to cutting behaviors, therefore these areas need to be explored extensively with students.

9. Where is it found in the standards? • 1.10.G Recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development, physical appearance, gender roles, and sexual orientation. • Justification:By exploring individual differences in these areas will aid students in being more accepting of each other and themselves.

10. Where is it found in the standards? • 1.7.M Analyze signs of depression, potential suicide, and other self-destructive behaviors. • 1.9.M Classify personal stressors at home, in school, and with peers. • Justification:This may help in identifying possible candidates for cutting behaviors and aid students in self-awareness/monitoring of their stressors.

11. Where is it found in the standards? • 1.8.M Explain how witnesses and bystanders can help prevent violence by reporting dangerous situations. • Justification:Students need to be made aware that it is okay and is their responsibility to report self-abusive behavior of others.

12. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 2: Analyzing Influences • 2.1.M Analyze the internal and external issues related to seeking mental health assistance. • Justification:Possible self-mutilators need to be more aware of the issues involved in seeking mental health assistance.

13. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 3: Accessing Valid Information • 3.1.M Access school and community resources to help with mental, emotional, and social health concerns. • 3.2.M Evaluate the benefits of professional services for people with mental, emotional, or social health conditions. • Justification:Student awareness of resources available to them, as well as the benefits of such resources/services.

14. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 4: Interpersonal Communication • 4.1.M Seek help from trusted adults for oneself or a friend with an emotional or social health problem. • 4.2.M Discuss healthy ways to respond when you or someone you know is grieving. • Justification:Student self-awareness of their emotional/social health and their importance in dealing with them appropriately, emphasis on seeking help.

15. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 5: Decision Making • 5.1.M Monitor personal stressors and assess techniques for managing them. • 5.2.M Compare various coping mechanisms for managing stress. • 5.3.M Analyze situations when it is important to seek help with stress, loss, an unrealistic body image, and depression. • Justification: This may help in identifying possible candidates for cutting behaviors and educate them on coping strategies. Also, these standards will aid students in self-awareness and/or monitoring of their stressors, as well as monitoring of friends and or family members.

16. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 6: Goal Setting • 6.1.M Evaluate how preventing and managing stress and getting help for mental and social problems can help a person achieve short- and long-term goals. • 6.2.M Set a goal to reduce life stressors in a health-enhancing way. • Justification: This may help in identifying and educating students to possible intervention and coping strategies for stress management. Also, these standards will aid students in self-awareness and/or monitoring of their stressors, as well as monitoring of friends and/or family members.

17. Where is it found in the standards? • Standard 7: Practicing Health-Enhancing Behaviors • 7.1.M Assess personal patterns of response to stress and use of resources. • 7.2.M Practice effective coping mechanisms and strategies for managing stress. • 7.3.M Discuss suicide-prevention strategies. • 7.4.M Practice respect for individual differences and diverse backgrounds. • 7.5.M Participate in clubs, organizations, and activities in the school and in the community that offer opportunities for student and family involvement. • 7.6.M Practice setting personal boundaries in a variety of situations. • Justification: This may help in identifying and educating students to possible intervention and coping strategies for stress management. The students’ self-awareness of their emotional/social health as well as the importance in dealing with them appropriately, with emphasis on seeking help.

18. Lesson Ideas • Lesson 1 – Anatomy •  1.7.M Analyze signs of depression, potential suicide, and other self-destructive behaviors. • 3.1.M Access school and community resources to help with mental, emotional, and social health concerns. •  When you are learning about the brain and how different mental disorders affect the human body, you could include the warning signs for depression, suicide, and other self-destructive disorders.  When discussing each topic give the warning signs and explain to students how and why you feel this way.  Also make sure to let them know that at some point in time everyone feels this way, and that there are people and organizations there to help them if they need it. 

19. Lesson Ideas • Lesson 2- English • 1.9.M Classify personal stressors at home, in school, and with peers. • After reading The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, have the students identify the different stressors that Anne was going through in the book.  Then have students make a list of the stressors they experience in their home, at school, and with peers.  Show them that no matter where you live, what kind of family you have, or how much money you have there are always stressors that are part of your life.  Have them compare and contrast the stressors that they have with the stressors that Anne went through.  Have an open discussion about both situations. 

20. Lesson Ideas • Lesson 3- Communications/Journalism • 1.4.M Describe qualities that contribute to a positive self-image. • Start by showing students video clips of different famous people (i.e. singers, actors, news reporters….). During each video clip have students write down their observations about their body language, appearance, and the way they are speaking.  Have them categorize each person as having a positive self-image or a negative self-image and make them explain why they put them there.  As a class make a large chart and have students debate as to who belongs in which column and why.  Make sure to discuss what qualities contribute to a positive self-image among teens as well. 

21. Local Resources • Cutting Stats and Treatment Sources: • SAFE: Self Abuse Finally Ends [online]  • Stepfamily Life [online]  • Discovery Health [online]  • Teens Health [online]

22. Polling Question 1 Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll.

23. Polling Question 2 Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll.

24. References • Bear, G., & Minke, K. (2006). Children’s Needs III: Development, Prevention, and Intervention. Bethesda, MD: NASP. • Bowman, S., & Randall, K. (2004). See my pain! Creative strategies for helping young peoplewho self-injure. Chapin, SC: Youthlight, Inc. • Favazza, A. (1996). Bodies under siege (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.  • Favazza, A.R. (1998). Why patients mutilate themselves. Hospital Community Psychiatry, 40, 137-145. • Favazza, A. R. (1998). The coming of the age of self-mutilation. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 186, 259-268. • Favazza, A., & Conterio, K. (1988). The plight of chronic self-mutilators. Community Mental Health, 24, 22-30. • Favazza, A., & Rosenthal, R. (1993). Diagnostic issues in self-mutilation. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 44, 134-140. http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-health/cutting-stats-treatment.html