Getting help with self-harm

Self Harm: The path to recovery - Author Kate Middleton

What is self harm? How does it develop? Is full recovery possible? How can I help a sufferer? Research has suggested that rates of self-harm in the UK are higher than anywhere else in Europe. This accessible and practical book demystifies a subject many people find hard to understand, assessing the causes of it and showing ways towards recovery. Throughout the book, the authors draw on case histories and personal stories, as well as statistics and information from up to date research in the field. Contents include:

• Part One: What is self harm and how does it develop?
• Part Two - Recovering from self harm.
• Part Three: Caring for sufferers.

About the Author: Dr Kate Middleton is Director of Anorexia and Bulimia Care. She has a professional background in psychology and a specialist interest in self harm. 

Stopping the pain: a workbook for teens who cut and self-injury - Author Shapiro, Lawrence E

Self-injury can be a disturbing symptom of a variety of conditions, including eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Stopping the Pain helps young people and their counsellors discover the root causes of self-injury and develop a program to end this dangerous behaviour. The book begins with a series of exercises designed to help teens understand why they self-injure and to dispel myths about self-injury. It goes on to help them tackle self-esteem issues, recognize and disarm the triggers that lead to self-injury, communicate about self-injury, cope with difficult emotions, and commit to change.

About the author: Lawrence E. Shapiro, PhD is an internationally known child psychologist and parenting expert in the USA. He has written over fifty books for parents, children, and mental health professionals. 

Otis Doesn’t Scratch. Talking to Young Children About Self-Injury - Author Clare Shaw

Should we talk to children about self-injury? Yes we should. 'Otis Doesn't Scratch' is a two-part resource to help young children understand why others self-harm. Children, like adults, often live in difficult circumstances, but with the right support they can make helpful sense of what’s happening. If Mum has cancer or a brother has special needs there are ample resources to help adults talk to young children about what’s going on. But what if someone close to a young child self-harms? Actively helping children understand why people self-injure may mean they don’t fill in the gaps for themselves — ‘someone is hurting my sister’; ‘dad is going to die’.

Clare Shaw (author) and Tamsin Walker (illustrator), the creators of Otis Doesn’t Scratch, have produced a poignant, troubling, but ultimately reassuring picture-book resource for children aged 4-9. 

The truth about Self-Harm: For Young People and Their Friends and Families - Author Celia Richardson

This booklet aims to help you understand more about self-harm and what to do if you are worried about yourself or someone else. It explains what self-harm is, what to do if you or someone you know is self-harming, and how to get help. Self-harm is very common and affects more people than you think.

All of the information in the booklet is based on the findings of the National Inquiry into Self-harm among young people. The inquiry was carried out by two charities, The Mental Health Foundation and The Camelot Foundation. The inquiry panel heard evidence from many hundreds of people including young people who self-harm, or have self-harmed in the past, and those who work with or care about them. This booklet is based on what they said. The booklet was developed by Celia Richardson, Kristen Morgan and Claire Walsh.