Addressing Self-Harm Among Australian Youth: A Sociological Report

This report delves into the escalating issue of self-harm among Australian youths, presenting a sociological analysis of the problem. It highlights self-harm as a response to emotional or psychological distress, often linked to feelings of hopelessness and potential risk of suicide. The report emphasizes the alarming increase in self-harm rates, citing studies and statistics, and proposes psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as a key intervention strategy. It identifies common forms of self-harm, including skin-cutting, head banging, and burning, and discusses the involvement of relevant organizations like the Australian Institute of Family Studies and the Australian Health Ministry. The report advocates for policy changes, including promoting CBT, enhancing communication among youths, and addressing societal issues that contribute to self-harm. It outlines key messages focusing on parental styles and the need to avoid practices causing self-harm, along with recommendations for authoritative powers to implement regulations, provide youth freedom, and foster healthy relationships. The report underscores the importance of public awareness campaigns, involving schools, churches, and social organizations, to educate youths on the dangers of self-harm and promote intervention strategies.

Sociology
Community, policy and change
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Sociology
Introduction
Self-harm is an issue that has been increasing at a really alarming rate amongst Australian
youths. This write-up will present a pathway that is going to address the issue of self-harm
among youths in Australia and how it can be dealt with.
Description of the policy challenge
The policy challenge that is going to be addressed here is the issue of self-harm among youths in
Australia.1 Self-harm is an issue that can be best described as a response to either emotional or
psychological distress. In most cases, this is brought about by issues of negative feelings and a
sense of hopelessness. Self-harm can be really catastrophic when not properly managed. In most
extreme cases self-harm could pose as a risk factor for suicide. It is, however, important to note
that, self-harm is not always an attempt at suicide but most cases that have been reported of self-
harm, the end game is usually suicide.2
Current studies indicate that the rate of self-harm among youths in Australia is increasing at a
really alarming rate and this calls for immediate intervention on the issue. A survey conducted in
2015 shows that at least one out of ten youths in Australia has had issues of self-harm in their
lives. In addition to this, a report released by the Australian Health Ministry revealed that the
1 Arcelus, Jon, Laurence Claes, Gemma L. Witcomb, Ellen Marshall, and Walter Pierre Bouman.
"Risk factors for non-suicidal self-injury among trans youth." 412.
2 Beckman et al., “Mental illness and suicide after self-harm among young adults: long-term
follow-up of self-harm patients, admitted to hospital care, in a national cohort." 3397-3405.

Sociology
number of Australian youths that seek help for cases of self-harm and suicide has doubled from
2000 to 2015. This number comprises of about 190,000 Australian youths.3
Self-harm happens in various forms and in a private manner though not uniformly. Self-harm
comprises of aspects such as; scratching oneself, intentionally curving woods and/or symbols in
one’s own skin, burning oneself intentional with either matches, cigarettes or even hot objects,
hitting and punching oneself, pulling one’s hair out and piercing the skin with sharp objects.
Core Strategies (What is the policy response you are seeking)
As mentioned earlier, the rate of increase in cases of self-harm among youths is increasing at a
really alarming pace.4 This, therefore, calls for a need for appropriate stakeholders to formulate
policies that can help curb the increased cases of self-harm among Australian youths. There are
some policies that can be proposed so as to stop the issue of self-harm among Australian youths.
One of the most efficient policies that can be proposed so as to address the issue of self-harm
among Australian youths is the issue of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can be used to effectively
reduce the issue of self-harm among most youths in Australia. Well, psychotherapy is a very
broad term that comprises of various therapeutical techniques that can be employed.5 Cognitive
3 Cha et al., "Examining potential iatrogenic effects of viewing suicide and self-injury stimuli."
1510.
4 Edmondson, Cathy and Allan “Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: A systematic review of self-
reported accounts." 109-117.
5 Ferrey et al., "The impact of self-harm by young people on parents and families: a qualitative
study." 123.

Sociology
behavioral therapy is an example of a psychotheraupetical method that can be used to address the
issue of self-harm.
Here, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be really helpful in terms of assisting the youths in
learning new ways of how to deal with some really stressful situations in their lives that often
result into self-harm. Engaging youths with cognitive behavioral therapy plays a very crucial role
in helping youths reduces stress in their lives and even cop up with so many complicated issues
such as broken relationships, grief and other life challenges that eventually bring about self-
harm.
It is also important to note that cognitive behavioral therapy works on the basis that the way one
thinks and how they interpret some of their life's events could really affect how they behave and
how they feel. In addition to this, this psychotherapy technique is really specific in nature in the
sense that it requires a person's full and active involvement in order to succeed. It usually focuses
on some of their present-day issues and challenges that often bring about self-harm.
Key targets (Context)
As mentioned earlier, the issue of self-harm affects most youths in Australia. Studies and
statistics indicate that self-harm takes place in various forms such as hitting oneself and
punching, pulling out of hair, cutting, piercing and carving words or symbols in one's skin. It is,
however, important to note that among these the most common types of self-harm are skin-
cutting which comprises of about (70-90%), head banging and/o hitting (21-44%) and burning
which comprises of about 15-37%.6
6 Hom, Thomas and Rebecca "Limitations of a single-item assessment of suicide attempt history:
Implications for standardized suicide risk assessment." 1026.

Sociology
The issue of self-harm is an all-inclusive issue that is experienced by almost all age groups in
Australia. It is, however, important to note that self-harm is common amongst youths in
Australia.
This problem is really huge and it's increasing so much in recent years in Australia. As
mentioned earlier, studies conducted revealed that cases of self-harm and suicide have doubled
from 2000 to 2015. This number has grown to about 190,000 youths. These figures have been
increasing day in day out. This is to mean that the issue of self-harm is really big and it affects so
many youths in Australia.
There are certain bodies and/or organization in Australia that are involved with the issue of self-
harm. The Australian Institute of Family studies is among one of these organizations that are
concerned with this issue. The Australian Health Ministry is also involved with the issue of self-
harm in Australia.7
Key actions
Here, there is a need to make deliberate actions so as to curb the issue of self-harm in Australia.
This, therefore, calls for a need to come up with plans and/or a program such as the intervention
through the use of psychotherapeutically technique such as the use of CBT as mentioned above
so as to deal with the issue.
7 Klomek et al. "Association between victimization by bullying and direct self injurious behavior
among adolescence in Europe: a ten-country study." 1186-1193.

Sociology
Some of the actions that can be made to enhance this involve advocating for the need for CBT
and enhancing meaningful communications amongst youths so as to deal with this issue.8
Key messages
The existing language describing the topic is connected to parenting style of controlling the
spread of self-harm-“how are the parents handling the issue of self harm among the youths?”;
“We as society need to address personal abuse which may lead to self-harm” Most of the
parental styles should aim at controlling the self-harm to youths. Different researchers argue that
there is a need to create a balance between the cause of self-abuse and the impacts of self-harm
in their lives.9
In order to handle the issue of self-harm will go about advocating for change. This means that
my attention will be based on the key recommendations which aim at encouraging the youths in
Australia to avoid those practices which focuses on causing self-harm. The main question is on
how I will handle teens who threaten the self-harm in society. Most of the youths usually use
self-harm to get more privileges thus escaping various consequences. 10Therefore, this means that
8 Marchant et al., "A systematic review of the relationship between internet use, self-harm and
suicidal behaviour in young people: The good, the bad and the unknown." 22.
9 Meza, Elizabeth and Stephen “Response inhibition, peer preference and victimization, and self-
harm: Longitudinal associations in young adult women with and without ADHD." 323-334.
10 Moore et al., "Consequences of bullying victimization in childhood and adolescence: a
systematic review and meta-analysis." 60.

Sociology
in order to handle the perspectives one needs to advise the youths on the dangerous impacts of
using the issue of self-harm to earn personal privileges. Also, I would ask the parents to
encourage their children to follow the right channel when handling personal grievances which
are believed to cause personal discomfort. In addition during the policy plan, I will also advocate
for immediate action needed to handle personal abuse within the society. Some of the campaigns
will be encouraging different social movements in Australia to instill personal instinct thus
helping to control the issue of self-harm in most of the youths in Australia.
From the concept outlined above, it is evident that one can use the authoritative powers thus
helping to balance the issue of self-harm in the society. This means that in order to handle self-
harm to most of the youths then there must be a manifestation of appropriate policies. Some of
the concepts to be used to control the issue of self-harm by use of authoritative power include;
 Use of children and youth guidance rules and regulations that will try to figure out the
harmful effects associated with self-harm.
 By giving youths a lot of freedom which will help them to be more responsible in their
life thus controlling those activities and procedures such as drug abuse which will aim at
catalyzing the concept of self-abuse.
 Coming up with appropriate mechanisms which will foster a healthy relationship between
the youths and the entire society. 11This will help in reducing cases such as suicide and
also handling personal stress which causes personal distress thus leading self-harm.
11 Mustanski, Rebecca and Jae "The effects of cumulative victimization on mental health among
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents and young adults." 527.

Sociology
From the issue discussed in the entire concept, the policy of handling self-harm falls in different
areas. This shows that self-harm is a social problem facing almost youths in all societies.
Increased cases of suicide and personal stress are some of the categories which characterize the
concept of self-harm and abuse. The overall impacts associated with self-harm is the personal
injury which most of the times it is attributed to personal discomfort and also personal torture.
Therefore, in order to handle the personal self-harm policy then the entire emphasize should be
directed to the three processes of handling personal conflict. The policy thus fosters on processes
such as problem identification which points out the subject matter, the implementation strategy
which tries come up with corrective action for the challenge and also the evaluation process
which will try to account for the
In addition, encouraging public campaign to solve the issue of self-harm to youths will involve
the use of public awareness to the entire nation. This may include use of social organization and
also the use of social entities which world in teaching the society on how to avoid personal
practices which will lead to self-harm. 12The use of schools and churches in the society can help
in teaching the youth on how to avoid some concepts such as personal depression which most of
the times induces the concept of self-harm to the youths in Australia. The youths on their side
need to know what are the injuries of self-harm and how the injuries will ruin their lives. All the
social amenities in Australia should be on the frontline advocating for change and creating
awareness on the need to avoid self-harm.
12 Owens, Christabel, Lorraine Hansford, Siobhan Sharkey and Tamsin Ford. "Needs and fears of
young people presenting at accident and emergency department following an act of self-harm:
secondary analysis of qualitative data." 291.

Sociology
Timeline
Considering the policy cycle, the milestone to take to handle the challenge will involve the use of
appropriate concepts which will help in handling self-harm behavior. The entire process will
pinpoint the aspects causing self-harm to youths in Australia. This will take a lot of time as the
entire process will involve teaching the youths on the issue of self-harm and the injuries
associated with self-harm. In addition, there will need to come up with an appropriate framework
for teaching the group on the importance of improving the problem-solving procedure. This will
automatically help the youths to control their emotions and other related personal traits which
may trigger the issue of self-harm. In order to handle all these, there is a need to incorporate the
government. The intervention of the government in the subject matter will help in budgeting
adequate resources such as public rallies which will teach youths on how to avoid issue such as
drug abuse which may catalyze self-harm. The government also ought to help the youths to boost
their skills meaning that it will allow the youths to communicate their personal issues thus
handling conflicts and supporting each other in case of any incidence related to self-harm in the
society.13
Promotional tools
Some of the promotional tools to be used to handle self-harm in youths may include; campaigns,
social media, presentations, networking opportunities and websites. All these tools will focus on
creating awareness on negative effects connected to self-harm in society. They will help in
pinpointing the triggers for self-harm and also helping youths to find better ways or solutions for
13 Ribeiro et al., "Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors as risk factors for future suicide ideation,
attempts, and death: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies."225-236.

Sociology
handling self-harm problems. In addition, the tools will boost the ability for youths to control
their emotions and feelings which induces the self-harm. Also, the tools will help in
communicating with society on the personal issues which cause stress and depression that aid in
self-harm.
Key players
The entire content of handling self-harm will include use of parents, the use of social amenities
and also the use of government. This means that parents and government intervention will help
the youths to control those practices which may lead to self-harm to society. 14The main thing to
be done by the groups will be creating awareness of the dangerous impacts associated with self-
harm. In addition, the use of non-governmental organizations and the regulations outlined in the
human rights code of conduct in Australia can help in eliminating the issue of self-harm.15 The
two concepts will create awareness on how youth should respect their life's thus avoiding the
personal activities triggering self-harm in the society.16
Conclusion
14 Shepard et al., "Suicide and suicidal attempts in the United States: costs and policy
implications."362.
15 Stockings et al., "Prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and treatment of substance
use in young people." 296.
16 Tsaousis, Ioannis. "The relationship of self-esteem to bullying perpetration and peer
victimization among schoolchildren and adolescents: A meta-analytic review."199.

Sociology
Therefore, to sum the society should have to consider the appropriate channels for controlling
self-harm behaviors amongst the youths. The main issue is campaigning for the dangerous
impacts of self harm thus helping the youths to quit those behaviors leading to self-harm.
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term follow-up of self-harm patients, admitted to hospital care, in a national
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Sociology
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