Self-harm and suicide prevention

Self-harm occurs when people deliberately hurt their bodies. This resources uses evidence to dispel some common myths surrounding self-harm and provides information on the prevalence and rationale behind this behaviour.

The term ‘suicidal ideation’ refers to thoughts that life isn’t worth living, ranging in intensity from fleeting thoughts through to concrete, well thought-out plans for killing oneself, or a complete preoccupation with self-destruction. These thoughts are not uncommon among young people. It is estimated that approximately 30% of adolescents aged 12-20 have thought about suicide at some point in their lives, with around 20% reporting having had such thoughts in the previous year.