MORE than 150 healthcare workers and members of the public attended an event last week helping them understand and stamp out self harm among young people in Worcestershire.

The Self Help not Self Harm event at the Charles Hastings Education Centre on Thursday, February 12 saw members of the county’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service deliver a presentation on why young people resort to harming themselves and what can be done to help them.

The amount of children in Worcestershire aged 10 to 14 who have self harmed has increased by 40 per cent over the past three years, while in some parts of the country levels are up as much as 70 per cent. Although girls are statistically more likely to self harm, the amount of boys doing so is also on the rise.

Community psychiatric nurse with the service, which is run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Nicky Ratcliff said the increase could be down to a number of factors such as school pressures, cyber bullying and problems at home.

“A key reason why children self-harm is because they aren’t aware of alternative coping strategies when they feel low, stressed, worried or anxious,” she said.

“As a society we need families, friends and teaching staff – as well as healthcare professionals – to understand their responsibilities in supporting young people to find better and safer ways of dealing with their issues.”

She added a reduction in stigma around mental health issues may also mean more people feel comfortable admitting self harming.

The event at the centre at Worcestershire Royal Hospital was part of a month-long campaign by the trust working to raise awareness of self harm and help people find other ways of coping with their problems.

Along with posters and a new website at www.hacw.nhs.uk/selfharm, the organisation has also launched a social media campaign asking people to write their own ways of dealing with pressure, stress, anxiety and other problems, on their wrists and take a picture, posting it on Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #selfhelpnotselfharm.

Studies have shown about 50 per cent of mental illnesses begin in childhood and healthcare experts have said early intervention can avoid developing serious psychiatric disorders later in life.

Anyone self harming is advised to speak to their GP in confidence.