Boys Engage in Self-Harm, Too

By Jacqueline Bodnar

When most people think of self-injury they tend to think of girls. But though girls do tend to participate in self-mutilating on a larger scale than boys do, this does not mean that boys are immune to the behavior.

A report by the UK-based National Children’s Bureau indicates that around 300 out of every 100,000 males between the ages of 15 and 24 engage in some form of self-harm. In another study, the organization found that five percent of boys between the ages of 13-15 engage in self-harm at some point. While a small number of these boys may be suicidal, most are engaging in a process known as “cutting.”

According to New Mexico State University, self-cutting is a form of intentional self-injury or mutilation, without the intent of suicide. A wide variety of objects can be used in the cutting process, including but not limited to knives, razors, paperclips, needles, sharp stones, scissors, or even broken glass.

Most people who cut themselves do so in areas where they can easily hide the injury, such as on the upper arms, thighs, or abdomen. NMSU researchers also reports that cutting is the most common form of self-injury and is usually done on a repetitive basis – often to the point that it is considered an addictive behavior.

Cutting is usually done as a way to cope with feelings. Many young people that lack an acceptable outlet for their emotions turn to cutting in an effort to make themselves forget or not feel what is bothering them emotionally.

Some cutters may be angry, stressed, or feeling tense – but all are seeking a way to release and feel better. They believe they will find comfort by cutting a part of their body, which will turn their focus from the emotional pain they are experiencing to the physical pain the cut has brought about. With each cut they inflict on themselves, they find an escape from what is bothering them.

Boys who cut are usually also experiencing other problems. Cutting is a red flag to parents and others that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Many boys who cut  are also abusing alcohol and other drugs, are suffering from severe depression, or have been victims of physical or mental abuse.

When a parent finds out their son is a cutter, it’s important that the issue be addressed with the help of a professional. Counseling and group therapy sessions have been very successful in helping people to learn coping skills and find healthy outlets for releasing emotional distress. Many people also find 12-step programs and stress-management classes to be helpful.

Though cutters can unintentionally experience serious injuries from their behavior, most people who cut are not trying to kill themselves – instead, they are crying out for help. And though boys are less likely than girls to become cutters, all parents need to be on the lookout for signs that their child may be engaging in this very dangerous behavior.