Over the last year it has been reported that a large number of teenage girls are resorting to self harming. The main reason for this is the unprecedented toxic climate that they are finding themselves being bought up in. The reasons for this toxic climate are due to cyber bullying, bleak prospects of employment and body image obsession in society. It is not only teenage girls; there are also a small percentage of teenage boys that require treatment after self harming.
However, when questioned about this by the Daily Mail, Lucie Russell, Director of Campaigns and Policy at the charity Young Minds said, “Every day we hear about the unprecedented toxic climate children and young people face in a 24/7 online culture where they can never switch off. Cyber bullying and “sexting”, bleak employment prospects and a society obsessed with body image are creating a negative environment around children and young people. These findings must not be dismissed as simply an inevitable part of growing up. Last year our Parents’ Helpline received a record number of calls from parents concerned about the mental health or well-being of their child.”
She continued, “We must take notice of these warning signs and act if we are not to see children increasingly struggling to cope.”
There are around 2.5 million hospital admissions for babies and children this last year. The rise has been about 0.1 percent. Despite being a small rise, these figures are still alarming, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Chairman of the Health & Social Care Information Centre Kingsley Manning, said that the figures are a cause for concern.
She added: “Today’s report is one of the first to examine hospital activity for children in this country to such a significant degree of detail. It highlights the differing reasons why children are coming through hospital doors in this country and in particular the marked variation between boys and girls in the conditions they are being treated for. The number of self-harm cases among girls and assault cases among boys makes for particularly compelling reading.”
However, following this analysis, they found that depression is more common than previously thought of amongst young people. If a child is suffering from depression, everyone involved in examining the youngster must ensure that this is recorded in the child’s medical records. It is therefore the responsibility of parents to help their children get the best quality care, and try to take them away from the toxic environment they find themselves in. It may not always be easy, but it is a step to rule out problems for later in life.