to be upset with the school's advice about self harm?

[Annunziata]

There is a big self harm problem at DD2's high school, especially among the girls.

Today they were sent home with a leaflet saying if they are going to do it, do it safely. It talks about using clean things etc.

Surely it is better to say don't do it, this is a number to phone for a helpline or something? Or is this good advice?

I think this is considered to be good advice. But the other things should be in place too.

How old are the girls? Who issued the leaflets? I have heard that the current as advice is 'try not to, but if you must, then do it safely'.

Saying don't do it won't stop people doing it.

If you are going to self harm, do it safely. There is a problem.

I would suggest both bits of advice are useful. I would also suggest the school looks at itself and asks itself if the school and its attitudes play a role? Stress, pressure etc.

I self harm. I know I shouldn't but I do. Doing it safely at least makes you aware of the issues.

I would count that as good advice yes. Along the lines of if you are going to have sex do it safely or if you are going to drink do it responsibly etc.

I am sure they WILL have had advice. Been told how to seek help/talk to school nurse or counsellor etc. But at the end of the day, self harming is bad enough but you don't want a horrendous infection like tetanus or scepaceamia (sp?) as well.

If someone is going to do something, they will do it.
Specialist agencies do give out helpline numbers and other coping strategies, but they also teach how to cut safely to minimise harm.

You can't tell them to stop because many of them will perceive SH to be making them feel better. If not this then what?
So the conventional wisdom is to guide them into safer practices: elastic band snapping for example, until the urge goes away.

As far as I am aware self harm can be a coping mechanism so it is often more important to deal with the underlying problem than focus on the self harm. It is a symptom of something else rather than the problem itself.

It's tricky but considered the right advice (like handing out clean needles to ivdu) as it is better than them contracting diseases if they are going to do it anyway. It is unlikely that this advice would make someone start self harming if they weren't going to (imo).

I think that's really sensible advice personally.

Okay, thank you.

It is exam time starting next week so I suppose it is stressful just now.

It just seems very shocking, I think I am naive.

It is a symptom of something else rather than the problem itself

And if it's happening a lot in the school, school needs to address any problems they may be causing.

Actually it is good advice, they aren't saying it's a good thing to do but are helping to look at ways to be safe.

Self harm is very complex and difficult to treat

Mental health issues are increasing amongst young people.
Lots of reasons why.

I think it is good advice.

Do they also suggest clean methods such as elastic band snaps, or clutching ice cubes?

It seems sensible to me, on the same principle as sex education. No point just telling them not to do it, but if they're going to, try to make it as safe as possible.

No, it is about being clean and phoning for help if necessary and things like that.

The school won't have come up with this advice themselves. It will come from the NHS. There will be official Local Authority Guidance on the matter for schools to follow.

I think it's good advice.

I'm a foster carer and all the training I've ever had around self harming has been around making sure they're safe, use things that are clean, making sure the young people know you're not going to judge them or try to stop them and giving first aid if needed.

With my young people we've talked about other things that could help, such as an elastic band around their wrist they can ping, or holding ice cubes (as mentioned by a PP) and if they want to talk they know I'm around, but apart from all the advice seems to be to just make sure they're safe and ignore it

This is the principle of Harm Reduction. Saying no doesn't make the problem go away, it just drives it further underground - where practices are more unsafe and help is farther away.

This is the standard advice at the moment. Think of it along the. Same lines as sex-education, if they're going to do it, it's better they do it safely.

Self harm is very "catching" and I would be incredibly worried about sending my DD to a school that had a big self harm problem.

I left school in 2001 and got a leaflet about cutting.
It was all about good hygiene and how not to hurt yourself to badly.
It also had helpline numbers and advice on how to talk to family and get help

It is good advice but it needs to be given alongside signposting to other support. My DD self harmed when she was 11. Didn't cope well with transfer to secondary. Underlying insecurities I didn't know about.

As soon as I was aware I just hugged her and let her cry but she still couldn't really articulate what was wrong to me. It made me feel a failure as a mother.

I insisted we went to the doctor and she told the doctor about awful bullying at school. Witnessed rather than experienced. She was referred straight away to a professional adolescent counsellor who gave her resources and suggestions and coping techniques. She had 6 sessions. She has never done it again and is a quiet but self assured 16 year old.

It was caught early and she had professional help straight away. Waiting times for camhs are far too long.

Thank you. I got such a shock when I saw it, but I know it's okay now.