Have you ever felt worthless? Have you ever felt like there was no way out? Well that is how most of the people feel who self harm. One in five females and one in seven males will self harm (Carroll). Self harm usually starts in adolescence. People who self harm usually have a rough past including abuse, verbal, physical, and sexual (Carroll). The number of adolescents self harming is increasing everyday. Some teens are taking it further with suicide and even some teens accidentally commit suicide. We should help kids/teens who self harm because it has negative physical effects, they could accidentally or intentionally kill themselves, and the self harmer can become a substance user.
     

Teens who self harm may get negative, permanent, and physical effects. When adolescents self harm there are so many negative possibilities. According to the article “Self-Harm Effects, Symptoms & Signs” they can possibly get permanent scars. This could stop them from getting the job they want. Also scarring could give the person who is self harming anxiety about other people seeing which isn’t good for you mentally. Permanent scarring is one of many effects that happen to your body from self harming. Another effect is disfigurement, which means you are messing up the shape of something. That means it would mess up the shape of your body which again could stop you from getting the job that you want. If you get disfigured then it will be harder to do things that were easy before. Such as just lifting up a cup or walking your dog. Wounds can also get infected which isn't good. If wounds get infected there is a possibility of getting the infected body part amputated. If they get amputated there will be tons of things you can't do  (“Self-Harm”). Not only does self-harm have negative effects on your body but it has negative effects on your mind. Self-harm can cause worse feelings of shame and guilt. It can also give you anxiety which isn't healthy (“Self-Harm”). When you get anxiety or feel shame and/or guilt you will want to self harm more. If you self harm more the percentage of the negative physical effects happening goes up. Teens who self harm can get negative physical and mental effects.

Teens who self harm could also commit suicide. According to the article “Self-harm and suicide: Can self-injury lead to suicide?” Even though self harm isn’t a suicidal act, people who self harm are nine times more likely to report suicide attempts. (Tracy) It seems that self harm does lead to suicide because that is a big percentage. They are also six times more likely to have a suicide plan. (Tracy) If people who self harm are more likely to have a plan that means that self harm does lead to suicide. For some teens self-injury is the first step to suicide. Suicide is an attempt to end pain and suffering (Lohmann). Self harm is an attempt to end pain and suffering just as suicide is. People believe if they harm themselves the pain will go away. It only goes away temporarily so they could think that they want it to go away permanently so they commit suicide. Teens who self harm can also commit suicide.

People who self harm can become a substance user. Others may say that, this is not an effect of self harm but however “Teen rehab center” says that is can be an outcome of self harm. In the article “Self-Harm & Cutting in Teens: Signs And Risks” it states, “If a teen who self-harms isn’t already using substances, they might develop a habit as a result. Once a teenager begins to explore a destructive behavior, it can be a slippery slope into other high-risk, harmful and illegal activities.” (“Self-Harm and Addiction”) This means that when a person self harms they might experiment with drugs and become addicted. Another article states,”Self-harm and addiction, unfortunately often go hand-in-hand.  Fundamentally, addiction and substance abuse itself is a form of self-harm, so just by abusing drugs and alcohol one is already setting oneself up for a grim and dismal future.” (“Self-Harm and Addiction”) This means that drug use is often an effect of self harm. People who self harm can become a substance user.

In conclusion, kids/teens are suffering from depression from multiple things. With the depression they do something really bad for their body, they self harm. We should help kids/teens who self harm because it has negative physical and mental effects, they could accidentally or intentionally kill themselves, and the self harmer can become a substance user.

Works Cite
Carroll, Christine M., RN, BSN MBA. "Cutting And Self-Mutilation." Salem        Press Encyclopedia Of Health (2015): Research Starters. Web. 7 Feb.2017.
"Self-Harm Effects, Symptoms & Signs." Self-Injury Symptoms, Signs & Effects - Delta
    Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.
Tracy, Natasha. "Self-Harm and Suicide: Can Self-Injury Lead to Suicide?" HealthyPlace.    N.p., n.d.  Web. 17 Feb. 2017.
Lohmann, Raychelle Cassada. "Understanding Suicide and Self-harm." N.p., n.d. Web.
    Website
"Cutting & Self-Harm in Teens: Self-Injury & Abuse Help." Teen Rehab Center. Teen        Rehab Center, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

“Self-Harm and Addiction." New Beginnings Drug Rehab. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.