Healthy Kids: Self- injury awareness

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – March 1 was Self Injury Awareness Day. A day to bring attention to many parents, guardians and teachers to look out for self-injury or self harming. Here to discuss this and more is Dr. Annette St. Pierre-MacKoul.

What is Self Injury?
Deliberate behavior
Non-suicidal behavior
Inflicts physical injury to a person’s own body.
Coping mechanism
Deal with intense emotional  distress
Creates a calming sensation
Awakens a person who is feeling numb / dissociated
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Why?
Validation of personal feelings
Creating a ‘real’ pain
Ease of coping with pain than emotions
Immediate effect
Creating instant relief
Problem:  temporary
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Who Self-Injures?
All ages
Male and female
Any sexual orientation
All ethnicities
Strong and the weak
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Types of Self-Injury:
Scratching
Cutting
Burning
Non-suicidal overdosing
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What to do?
Don’t panic or over-react

Don’t show anger or disgust
Non-judgmental
No blame
Support
Don’t ask to see the injury
Get help:  doctors and psychologists

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