Life as a teenager can be tough. Pressures from school, expectations from parents, fitting in with peers, and facing self-doubt are just a few things that can weigh heavily on a teen’s shoulders. While some young adults seem to thrive on adversity, others wilt under the strain and opt for less productive means of coping. Millions of American teenagers and college students deliberately injure themselves as a way of handling stress. They cut, burn, break, and poison their bodies, seeking physical pain as a means to avoid emotional pain. In Self-Injury: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Judy Dodge Cummings tackles this serious subject, offering hope for young adults everywhere. In this book, Cummings defines self-injury as it is understood by the medical community and examines the causes of self-harm. The author shares the stories of several young women and men to help explain what types of people are most affected by this disorder. Topics covered in this book include Who is most prone to self-injury Internal and external triggers to self-harm The impact of social media and the Internet on this issue Obvious and subtle signs of self-harm Coping mechanisms Resources for individuals Aimed at teens who need to find healthier ways to handle the pressures of everyday life, this book will also assist friends and families who want to help their loved ones. Weaved throughout the chapters are first-person accounts of teens who intentionally hurt themselves, and their stories will help others understand they are not alone. Providing paths to recovery, Self-Injury: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to break free from self-destructive behavior.

Self-harm is a problem many young adults struggle with silently. Decreasing the stigma surrounding this phenomenon is key to ending its prevalence. Using charts and full-color photographs, the underlying causes of this dangerous trend are examined, helping readers understand the reasons why they harm themselves and recognize the signs in others. Contact information is provided for organizations that young adults can turn to for emotional support and healthier ways to cope with stress.

Self-harm is increasingly prevalent in our society. But few of us understand why, or know what to do to help ourselves, friends or family in such situations. It can be very isolating. Understanding and Responding to Self-Harm aims to fill this gap, providing practical information and advice for anyone who has an experience of self-harm. Showing the various forms self-harm can take, this book explores the reasons behind it, and offers advice on self-management, support to others, and what services are available. Full of clear, thoughtful advice for those who may be thinking of harming themselves, or have already done so, as well as guidance for families and friends on helpful strategies and responses - and ones to avoid - it uses evidence from research and direct experience to provide an essential resource.

The new edition of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing focuses on practice in mental health and psychiatric care integrating theory and the realities of practice. Mental wellness is featured as a concept, and the consideration of a range of psychosocial factors helps students contextualise mental illness and psychiatric disorders. The holistic approach helps the student and the beginning practitioner understand the complex causation of mental illness, its diagnosis, effective interventions and treatments, and the client’s experience of mental illness.

“Drawing on research, theory and survivor wisdom, A Psychosocial Understanding of Self Injury and Trauma provides a clear, down-to-earth and practical guide to supporting people who self-injure.” Helen Spandler, Professor of Mental Health, UCLan UK; Editor, Asylum: the radical mental health magazine “This is a very welcome book, which is authoritative and engaging in equal measure.” Andrew Reeves, Professor in Counselling Professions and Mental Health, The University of Chester, UK “In this accessible and instructive book Long has made excellent use of her inter-disciplinary knowledge to invite readers to engage with critical thought around self-injury.” Fiona Stirling, Lecturer in Counselling, Abertay University, UK “Maggie Long’s wise and humane study of self-injury offers an important contribution to understanding how personal wounds may come to be ‘written on the body’.” Liz Frost, Co-editor of Journal of Psychosocial Studies; Associate Professor of Social Work, UWE, Bristol, UK This book is a key resource for any student or practitioner in the helping professions who wishes to develop a holistic understanding of self-injury. Debunking common myths and stereotypes, Long uses an interdisciplinary approach to help readers understand the people behind the symptoms. The impact of interpersonal, societal, and intergenerational trauma is considered in depth, as are the key practical implications for research, policy and practice this understanding of self-injury brings. Though primarily aimed at Counselling and Psychotherapy students, Long considers the challenging processes of help-seeking more broadly, providing useful strategies for responding to self-injury disclosures for practitioners in a range of roles where counselling skills are used, including those in Social Work, Youth Work, Teaching and Nursing. Maggie Long is a lecturer at Ulster University, Ireland. Her work is cross-border and interdisciplinary, drawing on her background in both sociology and counselling.