Self Harm and Suicide Essay
Introduction
I have chosen to carry out an investigation on the subject of suicide and self harm in young people because these are serious problems in this country, and the problems are escalating out of control. I think it is important that everyone should understand a little better what these problems really are, how they affect people and what self-harmers and people who are suicidal can do to receive help.
[Kurt Cobain¡¦s suicide letter.]
Main Points
- The main questions/aims I intend to find out about are:
1. What is self-harm?
2. What is suicide?
3. Why do young people self-harm?
4. Why do young people commit suicide?
5. What are the facts and figures?
6. What help can be given to young people who are suicidal or who self-harm?
Methods
In order to answer these questions I intend to read books, search the Internet, carry out a public opinion poll, read newspapers and watch television.
What Is Self-Harm?
What Is Suicide?
Self-Harm
Deliberate self-harm is a term that covers a variety of behaviours, with a multitude of different functions and a wide range of intentions. I found this definition while on the internet and it comes from Professor Keith Hawton and his colleagues at the Centre for Suicide Research in Oxford (Hawton et al, 2002):
¡§An act with a non-fatal outcome in which an individual deliberately did one or more of the following:
h initiated a behaviour (e.g. self-cutting, jumping from a height which they intended to cause harm to the self);
h ingested a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognized therapeutic dose;
h ingested a recreational or illicit drug (which they intended to cause harm to the self);
h ingested a non-ingestible substance or object (e.g. batteries, razor blades).¡¨
¡§Two elements are crucial: there is acute damage to the self (this excludes, therefore, behaviours such as smoking or eating an unhealthy diet); and damage is intentional (therefore,
I have chosen to carry out an investigation on the subject of suicide and self harm in young people because these are serious problems in this country, and the problems are escalating out of control. I think it is important that everyone should understand a little better what these problems really are, how they affect people and what self-harmers and people who are suicidal can do to receive help.
[Kurt Cobain¡¦s suicide letter.]
Main Points
- The main questions/aims I intend to find out about are:
1. What is self-harm?
2. What is suicide?
3. Why do young people self-harm?
4. Why do young people commit suicide?
5. What are the facts and figures?
6. What help can be given to young people who are suicidal or who self-harm?
Methods
In order to answer these questions I intend to read books, search the Internet, carry out a public opinion poll, read newspapers and watch television.
What Is Self-Harm?
What Is Suicide?
Self-Harm
Deliberate self-harm is a term that covers a variety of behaviours, with a multitude of different functions and a wide range of intentions. I found this definition while on the internet and it comes from Professor Keith Hawton and his colleagues at the Centre for Suicide Research in Oxford (Hawton et al, 2002):
¡§An act with a non-fatal outcome in which an individual deliberately did one or more of the following:
h initiated a behaviour (e.g. self-cutting, jumping from a height which they intended to cause harm to the self);
h ingested a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognized therapeutic dose;
h ingested a recreational or illicit drug (which they intended to cause harm to the self);
h ingested a non-ingestible substance or object (e.g. batteries, razor blades).¡¨
¡§Two elements are crucial: there is acute damage to the self (this excludes, therefore, behaviours such as smoking or eating an unhealthy diet); and damage is intentional (therefore,