British Study Finds Third Of Girls Harm Selves

April 29, 2008 12:21 a.m. EST

London, England (AHN) - A survey conducted for a mental health provider finds that one-third of girls from 11- to 19-years-old in the United Kingdom have harmed themselves.

Depression is very common among teens, causing them to cut, burn, punch or overdose their selves with drugs. Dr. David Kingsley, a consulting psychiatrist at Cheadle Royal Hospital, said that medical practitioners felt that the problem was getting worse.

He said in a statement to BBC News that, "One in three girls is an extraordinary figure - I was stunned by it. A study recently suggested three biggest causes were family problems, problems with friends and problems at school." He added that parents and educators should be on guard with youngsters who seem to be withdrawn. There are times when people tend to keep problems to themselves because they are afraid of receiving negative feedback from others.

Mental health experts cautioned that self-harm may indicate suicidal tendencies, bullying, sexual exploitation and drug and alcohol use. They requested that the issue be addressed in school lessons.

Sarah Brennan, the acting chief executive of Young Minds, said that parents usually feel disheartened when they find out that their kids are inflicting self-harm. She said it is important to develop an increased awareness in parents and workers who deal with young people so that they may be able to handle the situation well.