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.

有自残历史的人会蓄意地伤害自己，比如，用刀割自己、烧伤自己或者过量使用物质。

导师说，自残这个现象比大多数人以为的更加普遍，并与自尊感低有关。有不少人会在私下伤害自己，过一短时间才会请求帮助，这往往是因为害怕和羞愧。

什么是自残？

和大众以为的相反，那些伤害自己的人并不是要自杀。他们将自残当做一种克服坏情绪的方法。

他们不会公开表露自己的感觉，而是将这些负面情绪通过割伤或者烧伤自己、用针刺自己、过量饮酒或抽烟、挫伤自己、揪头发等方式释放出来。

不过这个词还用在那些不去照顾自己身体或者精神需要的情况。比如，一直陷在充满暴力的关系中，总是冒险或者做一些上瘾行为。

导师们说，只是轻度的伤害自己可能就像一个生重病的人过量服药一样。

自残的导火索有可能是学校暴力、悲伤、工作压力、家暴、经济问题、融入团体的压力、情感关系问题。

这些压力累积在一起，就会让人感到很难应对。有些人会说，他们觉得事情无法控制。

一个自残的人说：“我认为控制是件大事。你不能控制在身边发生的事情，不过你可以控制你对自己做些什么。”

多少人自残？

精神健康基金会估计，每130人中，会有一个自残的，全英国有近五十万人。

自残往往和自我厌恶、抑郁有关，女性比男性更为普遍。

导师解释说，这可能是因为男性觉得向外表达愤怒这样的情绪、或者在别人身上发泄更容易。

为什么人会自残？

那些自残的人们往往在童年或者青年期有过性虐待、身体或者心理上的虐待（不过并不是所有有过受虐经历的人会经常自残）。

受忽视或者是受到暴力威胁，这些他们不能在当时和其他人说的事情，也同样可以成为诱因。

这也就是说，他们将对所处情况的愤怒转向了自己。自残可以成为一种表达自己感受的方式。

有些人觉得这是一种“纾解痛苦”的方式。另一些则看成是一种注意转移或者交流情感的方式。

不过另外一些自残的人则将这种行为当做是惩罚自己、或者是对事情获得掌控的尝试。

有些人即使认识到自残可能有生命危险、而且是非理性的，但仍然很难停止这种行为。

治疗

导师们说，如果人们找到了其他方式来处理压力，那么停止自残相对容易。

他们建议这些人可以寻求帮助，来认清在自残行为背后的深层原因。

他们可能会接受认知行为疗法，这是一种包括了探索自残诱因、改变对这些诱因的反应模式的心理治疗的方式。

如果朋友和家人发现某人在伤害自己，一家叫做“青年精神”的针对儿童精神健康的慈善机构建议，倾听他们的需求，并支持他们寻求帮助。

人们应该保持一个开放的心态，不要批判他们，并重视这个问题。