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Preventing Self Harm In Teens

Self-harm is a subject that has in recent years come under the spotlight as a growing number of teens practice these acts. Although this issue is now talked about more than ever before, it is still considered a taboo subject that is often misunderstood. Unfortunately, with so much stigma attached to the subject, teens are often hesitant to reach out for help for fear they will be labeled as a “weirdo” or “freak”.

Turning Winds wants teens and their parents to know they are not alone and there is the help to be found through a therapeutic environment that is conducive to true change. Here at Turning Winds, we are dedicated to not only preventing teens from self-harm but helping them meet their full potential so that they may live their young lives to the fullest.  

Teens Who Self-Harm More Common Than Parents Suspect

Self-harm knows no bounds when it comes to age, gender, social class, or mental ability. Studies have reported as many as three million people participate in some type of self-harm whether it be cutting, burning, banging their heads, or striking themselves. While some people think these teens are only trying to get attention, the truth is, they want anything but.

Now that parents are becoming more aware of self-harm and the crisis it is causing among teens, it is our hope that an initiative can be started to help prevent and lessen this issue in our teens. Instead of keeping silent, it is important teens learn of the dangers of this disorder and the healthier methods of dealing with the emotional pain they are feeling.

Communication is key when it comes to preventing self-harm in teens. Adults often make the mistake of thinking childhood and adolescence are the most carefree times in a person’s life. Although this should be true, it often is not. Teens face a myriad of pressures coming from the home, school, and their peers. All too often, these pressures can cause teens to implode and begin seeking methods to stop the inner turmoil that threatens to take them over.

At Turning Winds, we recommend parents and other family members stay involved in their teen’s life and maintain an active and positive dialogue. Though teens may seem resistant to the idea, deep down they truly appreciate it. While parents cannot always control what their teens do, they are often one of the biggest catalysts for helping them avoid self-harm and other unhealthy means of coping.

Peaceful river scenery with reflective water surface at Turning Winds, a residential treatment program for teens in the mountains of Montana, a safe place to heal

More Resources For Parents In Crisis

MentalHealth.gov: Many parents in your region turn to Google for advice on a wide range of mental health issues. To ensure that they get the right information, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) have launched mentalhealth.gov. This is an authoritative site that contains info on diagnosis and treatment for teens in your local area with mental health issues; including personal accounts of experiences of teens with a history of self-harm issues. Advice is also given on how to take part in the “Community Conversations” initiative.

Ways To Prevent Teens From Harming Themselves

Although it can be a difficult subject to broach, parents must be vigilant in making sure their teen is coping with life in a healthy manner instead of being overwhelmed by stress. The signs a teen is struggling with self-harm include:

  • Unexplained injuries
  • Wearing long-sleeved clothing at all times
  • Distancing themselves
  • Changes in behavior

If parents notice any changes in their teen, it is important they act appropriately by letting their child know they have noticed changes and they are concerned. Often, simply being there and listening can help a teen more than any lecture ever could. If self-harm is suspected or discovered, it is crucial parents reach out for help through Turning Winds.

Through our comprehensive treatment program, we are able to successfully address all of the issues that cause a teen to turn to self-harm. Once the right treatment is put in place, teens learn the skills they must possess so they can discover a healthy means of dealing with life’s pressures instead of placing their health in danger.

Our program sees lives being changed on a daily basis. It is our privilege to help teens overcome the emotional and mental health constraints that cause them to be unable to live happy, normal lives. Our program is like no other because it produces real and lasting results that not only change the lives of individuals but also their families.

Preventing Self-Harm In Teens

Turning Winds Therapeutic Boarding School is far and above the best option when seeking treatment for cutting and other self-harming issues. Throughout the process, exposure to one’s peers on a day to day basis can re-enforce any results made in therapy, and also offers a healthy, encouraging environment for teens to master the coping skills and to interact with one another in a positive manner. While there are other programs that in general do aid in the recovery process and is a safe place for teens to get help for their mental health problems, co-ed facilities, in particular, are more advantageous when it comes to academics and personal development.

1 In 5 Teens Girls And 1 In 7 Teen Boys Self-Harm

self-harm among teens in is a widespread problem that is becoming increasingly more common. Teen girls especially frequently fall victim to a number of self-harm tactics that include cutting and eating disorders. Current studies posit that as many as one in every five girls and one in every seven boys in the United States engages in some form of self-injury, with 70% of the teen girls who engage in self-harm cutting themselves.

Self-harm among adolescents in is a frequently misunderstood and even dismissed problem that affects more teens than most people are aware. This is because, unlike common misconceptions, those who engage in self-injury, such as cutting, are not doing it for attention or in order to manipulate people. Rather, this is behavior engaged in secrecy and one that teens will go to great lengths to continue to hide.

It is important to keep in mind in trying to understand the behavior of a troubled teen who cuts themselves that, just like with any other behavioral problem or mental illness, the underlying issue is not about other people. This behavior is the result of an internal conflict that that person is experiencing and their attempts to cope with that conflict.

Turning Winds Can Help Parents Of Teens With Emotional & Physical Scars

Preventing self-harm in teens in requires a multifaceted approach as the reasons behind why a teen engages in self-harm are not clean cut. Frequently, teen cutting exists alongside other mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and oppositional defiant disorder. Unfortunately, self-harm too commonly leads to teen suicide, as well, though not always due to the specific intent of seriously injuring and perhaps doing away with oneself.

Self-injury treatment requires trained and licensed professionals who understand the intricacies behind teen cutting. At Turning Winds, troubled teens who cut from can receive the specialized care that they need in order to address the reason behind why they cut so that they can more effectively put this behavior behind them.

As a therapeutic boarding school, we provide academics in addition to personalized therapy and self-injury treatment to ensure that while teens heal and recover from their mental health concerns, they don’t suffer academically and find themselves falling behind. The stress of delaying graduation as a consequence of receiving treatment can exasperate these mental health concerns and encourage relapse.

Turning Winds also has a staff to student ratio of 5:1. This ratio stays the same throughout our academics and therapy programs ensuring that every teen who participates in our treatment program receives the attention and personalized care that they deserve and require in order to fully recover and leave behind their self-injurious behavior.

Parents Dealing With Teenage Self-Harm

As a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens, we offer for self-harming behavior problems. One of the biggest threats today to young people from is emotional fear and distress. This constant fear and emotional distress can cause teens to use drugs and alcohol primarily and other more dangerous drugs and activities as well. According to a survey conducted by the National Institute, around 9.4% of people twelve years and older have used an illicit drug within the past month of the study. This same report showed smoking and marijuana use is on the rise.

Coping with self-harming behavior means finding effective therapy and treatment that are available and that can help teens into work through the root causes contributing to their self-harming behavior and to learn healthy coping strategies.

Turning Winds provides self-injury help as part of a comprehensive treatment program. As a therapeutic boarding school, programmatic therapeutic experiences form the cornerstone of our approach. That means that in addition to personalized therapy, teens who cut or engage in other self-harming activities also receive a psychologically affirming approach in their academics that not only helps them to stay on track to graduate but affirms the new healthy coping strategies they’re learning.

In supporting the internal work they are doing to heal and recover throughout their stay at Turning Winds, teens are better able to internalize these coping skills, address other mental health and behavioral concerns, and less likely to experience relapse once they leave our facility.

One of the most frightening issues a parent can deal with is learning their teen is self­harming. While cutting is the most common form, there are a wide range of injuries teens inflict on themselves to relieve their emotional pain. If a parent learns their teen is cutting, it is crucial intervention is sought. Since this subject has come to the forefront of media attention, many innovative methods have been discovered to help teens cope with the impulse to cut so they can learn to overcome this habitual behavior. These methods are particularly beneficial if a teen has only recently begun practicing self­harming.

Communication Is Crucial In Preventing Self-Harm In Teens

Self-harm is a subject that has in recent years come under the spotlight as a growing number of teens practice these acts. Although this issue is now talked about more than ever before, it is still considered a taboo subject that is often misunderstood. Unfortunately, with so much stigma attached to the subject, teens are often hesitant to reach out for help for fear they will be labeled as a “weirdo” or “freak”. Turning Winds wants teens and their parents to know they are not alone and there is help to be found through a therapeutic environment that is conducive to true change.

Turning Winds has researched this subject in depth so that we can help our residents overcome this devastating practice. In the beginning, teens often use this act as a way to control their emotions. Unfortunately, the act then becomes a compulsive behavior, making it very difficult for a teen to stop. We have helped many teens from by introducing them to creative methods of stopping their compulsion to cut. We have been amazed at the results that have been achieved.

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