When Teens Harm Themselves

If you are concerned that your teenage son or daughter is self-harming in any way, try to keep an open mind. Your reaction, however worrisome their behavior is, will have a direct impact on your child. Encourage your child to open up to you and tell you what it is that is bothering them (if they can).

You must remember that if the teen has been engaging in self-injurious behaviors for a while, they may have developed a habit. This will take time to break; some patterns are more of a threat than others.

Talk therapy is beneficial for getting to the root of the problem and providing methods to help your child overcome the behavior. Treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can teach your child to identify those negative thoughts and their corresponding emotions. When your child can successfully “feel” the impulse, they can replace the behavior with a new action.

Our therapists specialize in adolescents and are aware of teenagers’ daily frustrations and struggles.