People with a history of self-harm deliberately inflict injury upon themselves, for example, by cutting or burning themselves or taking an overdose.

    Experts say the problem is more common than most people think and is linked to feelings of low self-esteem. Many people may hurt themselves secretly for some time before they ask for help, often because of fear and shame.

    What is self-harm?

    Contrary to popular myth, people who harm themselves are not trying to commit suicide. They use self-harm as a way of coping with difficult emotions.

    Instead of expressing their feelings openly, they take them out on their bodies by cutting or burning themselves, picking their skin, taking an overdose, bruising themselves or pulling their hair out.

    But the term can also refer to not looking after physical or emotional needs. It can mean staying in an abusive relationship, taking a lot of risks or addictive behaviour.

    Experts say a person who harms themselves only slightly may be just as seriously ill as one who takes an overdose.

    Triggers for self-harm can include bullying, bereavement, pressure at work, abuse, financial problems, pressure to fit in and relationship problems.

    When these pressures pile up, people can find it difficult to cope. Some say that they feel things are out of control.

    One sufferer said: "I think control's a big thing. You can't control what's happening around you, but you can control what you do to yourself."

    How many people self-harm?

    The Mental Health Foundation estimates around one in 130 people, nearly half a million across the UK, self-harm.

    It is often linked to feelings of self-hatred and depression and appears more common in women than men.

    Experts suggest this may be because men find it easier to express emotions like anger in an outward way or take it out on others.

    Why do people self-harm?

    People who ham themselves have often experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse as a child or young adult （although not all people who have been abused self-harm）.

    Neglect or bullying, which they were unable to talk to anyone about at the time, can also be a trigger.

    This can mean anger at their situation is turned inwards. Self harm can become a way of expressing their feelings.

    Some people find it is a way of "getting the pain out". Others may see it as a distraction or a way of communicating feelings.

    But other self-harmers see it as way of punishing themselves, or of attempting to gain some control over a situation.

    Some find it difficult to give up the behaviour despite realising that it could be life-threatening and is not rational.

    Treatment

    Experts say it is easier to stop self-harming if they can find other ways of dealing with stress.

    They advise that people seek help to confront the reasons behind their behaviour.

    They may be offered cognitive behavioural therapy, a form of psychotherapy, which involves looking at what triggers the self-harm and trying to change how people react to them.

    For friends and family who notice a person is harming themselves, YoungMinds, a charity for children with mental health problems, recommends listening and supporting the person to get help.

    It says people should try to keep an open mind and not judge the person and take them seriously.

    有自殘歷史的人會蓄意地傷害自己，比如，用刀割自己、燒傷自己或者過量使用物質。

    專家說，自殘這個現(xiàn)象比大多數人以為的更加普遍，并與自尊感低有關。有不少人會在私下傷害自己，過一短時間才會請求幫助，這往往是因為害怕和羞愧。

    什么是自殘？

    和大眾以為的相反，那些傷害自己的人并不是要自殺。他們將自殘當做一種克服壞情緒的方法。

    他們不會公開表露自己的感覺，而是將這些負面情緒通過割傷或者燒傷自己、用針刺自己、過量飲酒或抽煙、挫傷自己、揪頭發(fā)等方式釋放出來。

    不過這個詞還用在那些不去照顧自己身體或者精神需要的情況。比如，一直陷在充滿暴力的關系中，總是冒險或者做一些上癮行為。

    專家們說，只是輕度的傷害自己可能就像一個生重病的人過量服藥一樣。

    自殘的導火索有可能是學校暴力、悲傷、工作壓力、家暴、經濟問題、融入團體的壓力、情感關系問題。

    這些壓力累積在一起，就會讓人感到很難應對。有些人會說，他們覺得事情無法控制。

    一個自殘的人說："我認為控制是件大事。你不能控制在身邊發(fā)生的事情，不過你可以控制你對自己做些什么。"

    多少人自殘？

    精神健康基金會估計，每130人中，會有一個自殘的，全英國有近五十萬人。

    自殘往往和自我厭惡、抑郁有關，女性比男性更為普遍。

    專家解釋說，這可能是因為男性覺得向外表達憤怒這樣的情緒、或者在別人身上發(fā)泄更容易。

    為什么人會自殘？

    那些自殘的人們往往在童年或者青年期有過性虐待、身體或者心理上的虐待（不過并不是所有有過受虐經歷的人會經常自殘）.

    受忽視或者是受到暴力威脅，這些他們不能在當時和其他人說的事情，也同樣可以成為誘因。

    這也就是說，他們將對所處情況的憤怒轉向了自己。自殘可以成為一種表達自己感受的方式。

    有些人覺得這是一種"紓解痛苦"的方式。另一些則看成是一種注意轉移或者交流情感的方式。

    不過另外一些自殘的人則將這種行為當做是懲罰自己、或者是對事情獲得掌控的嘗試。

    有些人即使認識到自殘可能有生命危險、而且是非理性的，但仍然很難停止這種行為。

    治療

    專家們說，如果人們找到了其他方式來處理壓力，那么停止自殘相對容易。

    他們建議這些人可以尋求幫助，來認清在自殘行為背后的深層原因。

    他們可能會接受認知行為療法，這是一種包括了探索自殘誘因、改變對這些誘因的反應模式的心理治療的方式。

    如果朋友和家人發(fā)現(xiàn)某人在傷害自己，一家叫做"青年精神"的針對兒童精神健康的慈善機構建議，傾聽他們的需求，并支持他們尋求幫助。

    人們應該保持一個開放的心態(tài)，不要批判他們，并重視這個問題。