Self-Harm in Australia: Exploring Rationale & Healthcare Interventions

This report delves into the complex issue of self-harm, examining the reported rationales behind this behavior as a coping mechanism for difficulties and stress, with a specific focus on the Australian context. It highlights that self-harm, also known as deliberate self-injury or parasuicide, often involves methods like cutting and self-poisoning, particularly among young individuals. The report provides Australian statistics indicating the prevalence of self-harm, its contribution to disease burden, and hospitalization rates. It further explores the factors that can increase self-harm behavior, such as family crises, physical disabilities, depression, trauma, anxiety, and emotional imbalance. It outlines the rationale behind self-harm, including attempts to replace emotional pain with physical pain, and discusses the associated risks, such as increased suicidal ideation and addiction. Finally, the report details various healthcare interventions implemented for people who self-harm, including psychiatric treatment, psychological counseling, medical treatment for injuries, harm minimization techniques, stress management, and support from friends, family, and doctors.

For some people self-harm is considered a way of coping with
difficulties or stress. Describe the reported rationale for this
behaviour. What health care interventions are implemented for
people who self-harm?

INTRODUCTION
 Self harm is also known as deliberate self injury or para-
suicide.
 Most common methods are cutting and self poisoning
among the young people.
 Other methods like burning, scratching, hanging and
interfering with wound healing are also used.
 Usually, self harms should be taken seriously even though
they are not intended to be fatal.
 Self harm is a criminal offence according to Crimes Act
1958.

STATISTICS (AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS)
 Self harm has been the 7th leading contributor to disease among
people in Australia.
 Less than 13% of the people who harm themselves are admitted in
hospitals.
 8% of young people between the ages of 15-24 years are involved in
self harm in any 12 moth period.
 Suicides are done mostly by males while self harm by females.
 Lifetime prevalence rates:
Age group Females (In
percentage)
Males (In percentage)
15-19 17 12
20-24 24 18
Mean age of self
harm in Australia
17 years (More common in females)
Hospitalization for
self harm (2010-
26,000 cases

What is self harm
 Self harm is a behaviour in which a person deliberately injures
himself in order to cope up with painful feelings.
 It includes anger, depression, despair, self hatred etc.
 It involves burning, cutting, hitting, binge eating and starvation.
 It can also include abuse of alcohol or drugs and even overdosing on
prescribed medicines.
 Most of the people who does self harm conceal their injuries.
 For example, wearing long sleeves or covering their wounds etc.
 These people are not trying to kill themselves but they are looking for
a way to deal with their problems and difficulties.

What is self harm
Factors that can increase the self harm behaviour of
people:
Sudden crisis in the family like death, relationship
breakdown, abuse and violence.
Physical disability
Depression or any other mental issue.
Trauma
Anxiety or emotional imbalance.

RATIONALE BEHIND SELF HARM
 It depicts that a person needs medical help in order to control
his behaviour.
 They are trying to replace emotional pain with physical pain.
 Self harm can induce the feeling of suicide in people.
 These people are more prone to suicide than general
population.
 It can become an addictive behavior and It depicts the level of
person's mental illness.
Mani reasons behind self harm are:
 Drastic change in mood

RATIONALE BEHIND SELF HARM
People hurt themselves to cope up with stress,
relationship problems, depression, abuse etc.
It is an attempt to punish themselves
Inability to manage emotions
Social withdrawal: No communication with friends and
family.
Self hatred and emotional numbness
They feel pain is better than any other thing.

TREATMENT FOR SELF HARM
National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS)
helps in the promotion, prevention and it also
provides intervention to people.
Psychiatric treatment
Psychological counselling and intervention
Medical treatment for medical injuries
Use of harm minimization techniques to control
behaviour

TREATMENT FOR SELF HARM
 Keeping first aid equipments at home
 Learning effective coping methods
 Support from friends, family and doctors
 Stress management
 Relaxation therapy, meditation and yoga.
 Avoiding self harm and developing new habits
to control the emotions.

References
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Thank You