More and more teenagers are prone to self-injury

Self-injurious behavior among adolescents is worryingly common

The Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ) warns of the alarmingly high rates of self-injurious behavior among young people in Germany. Already in February, the Deutsches Ärzteblatt reported that around 25 to 35 percent of young people in Germany intentionally inflict injuries on themselves at least once in their lives.

Although self-injured homosexuals are not intent on suicide, the severity of the injuries is often moderate. Yet, the proportion of adolescents exhibiting self-injurious behaviors is alarmingly high - and some of them carry out such actions on a regular basis. Germany is one of the countries with the highest prevalence rates for self-injurious behavior in Europe, emphasizes the BVKJ in relation to the figures of the current study.

Unpleasant emotional states often trigger

The team led by Professor Paul L. Plener from the University Hospital Ulm had reported in the Deutsches Ärzteblatt on self-harm without intent to kill (non-suicidal) in adolescents and also addressed a guideline-compliant therapy. According to the experts, self-injurious behavior often serves to regulate unpleasant emotional states. The self-injurious behavior (without suicidal intent) is defined as "direct, repeated, socially unacceptable damage to body tissues."

Which self-injuries are typical?

According to the experts, affected adolescents cut, scratch or burn, for example, the surface of the skin in the event of self-injurious acts or deliberately hit something to injure their skin and bones. Not infrequently, the self-injuries are addressed because falsely suspected a crime.

Bullying is an important risk factor

Professor Plener and colleagues have identified a number of risk factors for self-injurious behavior. Among the most important are therefore bullying, psychiatric illnesses as well as abuse and neglect in childhood. In addition, neurobiological research has shown in recent years that sufferers often have difficulties in dealing with stress and react noticeably to it in comparison to healthy peers, reports the BVKJ. Last but not least, experts were able to prove that "people who repeatedly injured themselves (without trying to kill themselves) seem to have increased the pain threshold", the association's statement on its internet portal "Pediatricians-in-the-Net".

Therapeutic approaches against self-injury

According to the experts, the therapy for self-injurious behavior should take place mainly in the form of psychotherapy. Here, mental comorbidities (comorbidities) should be considered. With the help of psychotherapeutic interventions, the frequency of self-injury can be successfully reduced. Although "none of the therapeutic approaches have shown a clear superiority", according to the BVKJ "randomized controlled trials have shown small to medium effects on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and after dialectic behavior therapy mentalization-based therapy (MTB). "

A psychoactive substance that shows specific efficacy in the treatment of self-injury and could be used for drug therapy is not yet known. (Fp)