6200 wk 6 assgn

 Cutting, scratching, burning, hair-pulling. For some adolescents, experiencing self-inflicted physical pain becomes a regular practice to manage psychological pain. This is not a rare phenomenon. I 

Week 6 assign

RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO THOSE WHO SELF HARM

Cutting, scratching, burning, hair-pulling. For some adolescents, experiencing self-inflicted physical pain becomes a regular practice to manage psychological pain. This is not a rare phenomenon. In fact, studies have put the range anywhere from 12%–37% of high schoolers engaging in some form of self-harm (Cornell University, 2021). Whether used as a coping mechanism, a way to express anger, or for dealing with intense emotional pain, self-harm (also known as self-injury) is often a call for help.

Social workers must understand self-harm warning signs and intervention strategies in order to appropriately respond. In this Assignment, you develop a presentation to raise awareness and educate other social work professionals on this issue.

Reference: 
Cornell University. (2021). 
How common is self-injury among adolescents and young adults? 

http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/about-self-injury.html#tab3

TO PREPARE:

· Review the Learning Resources on self-harm in adolescence. Conduct additional research on this topic.

· Imagine that you are tasked with presenting on self-harm at a professional conference. You need to be able to educate others on what to look for and how to approach an adolescent who is showing signs of self-harm.

· Download the Walden University Writing Center’s PowerPoint template from the Learning Resources and use it for this Assignment. If needed, consult the Microsoft resource on recording narration.

BY DAY 7

Submit a 5- to 6-slide narrated PowerPoint presentation explaining the indicators of self-harm, appropriate interventions, and follow-up steps for professionals needing to respond to adolescents who self-harm.

PowerPoint slides should present bulleted text on the slides with a full transcript of the presentation in the notes section. Please use the Learning Resources and additional research to support your presentation. Include citations and a Reference slide to document the sources you have used.

References

· Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). 
Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

· Chapter 7, “Psychological Development in Adolescence” (pp. 320–360)

· Flaherty, H. B. (2018). 

Treating adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury: A review of psychosocial interventions to guide clinical practiceLinks to an external site.

. 
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 
35, 85–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-017-0505-5

· Silverman, J. R., Ross, E. H., & Kearney, C. A. (2018). 

Non-suicidal self-injury among male adjudicated adolescents: Psychosocial concerns, coping responses, diagnoses, and functionsLinks to an external site.

. 
Journal of Child and Family Studies, 
27, 3564–3571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1172-7

· National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). 

Self-harm

Links to an external site.

. https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Self-harm

· Walden University Writing Center. (n.d.). 

General templates: PowerPoint presentation

Links to an external site.

. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293636

· Microsoft. (n.d.). 

Record a slide show with narration and slide timings

Links to an external site.

. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161c

Media

· Walden University, LLC. (2021). 
Meet Ray: Age 13-16 [Video]. Walden University Blackboard. https://waldenu.instructure.com

Time Estimate: 2 minutes

· Walden University, LLC. (2021). 

Social work case studies

Links to an external site.

 [Interactive media]. Walden University Blackboard. https://waldenu.instructure.com

· Navigate to Dani

· Psych Hub. (2020, January 7). 

What is self-harm?

Links to an external site.

 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8jw3JVfK0w&t=208s

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes.

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People often keep it a secret, but the urge to self-harm isn’t uncommon, especially in adolescents and young adults. Many overcome it with treatment.

Whether a person has recently started hurting themself or has been doing it for a while, there is an opportunity to improve health and reduce behaviors. Talking to a doctor or a trusted friend or family member is the first step towards understanding your behavior and finding relief.

What is Self-harm?

Self-harm or self-injury means hurting yourself on purpose. One common method is cutting with a sharp object. But any time someone deliberately hurts themself is classified as self-harm. Some people feel an impulse to cause burns, pull out hair or pick at wounds to prevent healing. Extreme injuries can result in broken bones.

Hurting yourself—or thinking about hurting yourself—is a sign of emotional distress. These uncomfortable emotions may grow more intense if a person continues to use self-harm as a coping mechanism. Learning other ways to tolerate the mental pain will make you stronger in the long term.

Self-harm also causes feelings of shame. The scars caused by frequent cutting or burning can be permanent. Drinking alcohol or doing drugs while hurting yourself increases the risk of a more severe injury than intended. And it takes time and energy away from other things you value. Skipping classes to change bandages or avoiding social occasions to prevent people from seeing your scars is a sign that your habit is negatively affecting work and relationships.

Why People Self-harm

Self-harm is not a mental illness, but a behavior that indicates a need for better coping skills. Several illnesses are associated with it, including borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, anxiety or posttraumatic distress disorder.

Self-harm occurs most often during the teenage and young adult years, though it can also happen later in life. Those at the most risk are people who have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse. For instance, if a person grew up in an unstable family, it might have become a coping mechanism. If a person binge drinks or uses illicit drugs, they are at greater risk of self-injury, because alcohol and drugs lower self-control.

The urge to hurt yourself may start with overwhelming anger, frustration or pain. When a person is not sure how to deal with emotions, or learned as a child to hide emotions, self-harm may feel like a release. Sometimes, injuring yourself stimulates the body’s endorphins or pain-killing hormones, thus raising their mood. Or if a person doesn’t feel many emotions, they might cause themself pain in order to feel something “real” to replace emotional numbness.

Once a person injures themself, they may experience shame and guilt. If the shame leads to intense negative feelings, that person may hurt themself again. The behavior can thus become a dangerous cycle and a long-time habit. Some people even create rituals around it.

Self-harm isn’t the same as attempting suicide. However, it is a symptom of emotional pain that should be taken seriously. If someone is hurting themself, they may be at an increased risk of feeling suicidal. It’s important to find treatment for the underlying emotions.

Treatment and Coping

There are effective treatments for self-harm that can allow a person to feel in control again. Psychotherapy is important to any treatment plan.

Self-harm

may feel necessary to manage emotions, so a person will need to learn new coping mechanisms.

The first step in getting help is talking to a trusted adult, friend or medical professional who is familiar with the subject, ideally a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist will ask that person questions about their health, life history and any injurious behaviors in the past and present. This conversation, called a diagnostic interview, may last an hour or more. Doctors can’t use blood tests or physical exams to diagnose mental illness, so they rely on detailed information from the individual. The more information that person can give, the better the treatment plan will be.

Depending on any underlying illness, a doctor may prescribe medication to help with difficult emotions. For someone with depression, for instance, an antidepressant may lessen harmful urges.

A doctor will also recommend therapy to help a person learn new behaviors, if self-injury has become a habit. Several different kinds of therapy can help, depending on the diagnosis.

• Psychodynamic therapy focuses on exploring past experiences and emotions
• Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on recognizing negative thought patterns and increasing coping skills
• Dialectical behavioral therapy can help a person learn positive coping methods

If your symptoms are overwhelming or severe, your doctor may recommend a short stay in a psychiatric hospital. A hospital offers a safe environment where you can focus your energy on treatment.

What to Do When Someone Self-harms

Perhaps you have noticed a friend or family member with frequent bruises or bandages. If someone is wearing long sleeves and pants even in hot weather, they may be trying to hide injuries or scarring.

Keep in mind that this is a behavior that might be part of a larger condition and there may be additional signs of emotional distress. They might make statements that sound hopeless or worthless, have poor impulse control, or have difficulty getting along with others.

If you’re worried a family member or friend might be hurting themself, ask them how they’re doing and be prepared to listen to the answer, even if it makes you uncomfortable. This may be a hard subject to understand. One of the best things is to tell them that while you may not fully understand, you’ll be there to help. Don’t dismiss emotions or try to turn it into a joke.

Gently encourage someone to get treatment by stating that self-harm isn’t uncommon and doctors and therapists can help. If possible, offer to help find treatment. But don’t go on the offensive and don’t try to make the person promise to stop, as it takes more than willpower to quit.

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