One in 10 16 year-old Surveyed Have Considered Self Harm by Taking Overdose

In a collaborative study, researchers at the Queens University and University of Ulster found that one in ten 16-year-olds surveyed in the study have considered self harm.

Self harm was done by taking an overdose.  Based on the annual survey Young Life and Times (YLT), the researchers noticed that nearly a third of the 16-year-olds who participated in the survey had experienced serious personal, mental or emotion health issues in the past year.

The 2013 survey involved 1,367 16-year-olds across Northern Ireland. The main aim of this study was to offer an insight into lives of the 16-year-olds by focusing on an array of issues. The survey focused on the teen's sense of community belonging, their experience on financial hardship and mental health including self harm.

The researchers noticed that 26 percent of them reported having experienced serious personal, emotional or mental health problems in the previous year. One third of the participants took help from professionals.  Nearly 13 percent considered taking overdose or harming themselves and 13 percent had caused self harm. Among the latter gorup, 8 percent had done self harm on several occasions.

The common reason for causing self harm was 'wanted to punish themselves'.

Dr Dirk Schubotz from the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at Queen's University and YLT Director, said, "It is particularly significant to note that still only a small minority of 16-year-olds seek professional help when experiencing serious emotional health problems. Although mental health campaigns have for some time attempted to de-stigmatise mental ill-health, by far the most likely reason why young people self-harm remains self-punishment. This suggests that young people with mental health problems keep blaming themselves for these, rather than appreciating external stressors such as pressures arising from school work or financial difficulties."

In 2008, when the questions were asked for the first time in YLT, there were 26 percent of 16-year-olds who had experienced serious mental health problems. Also, there were 13 percent of the participants who had thought of self harm and 10 percent of them had actually caused self harm.

The finding was published on May 16 during the Mental Health Awareness Week.