A surprising number of young adults are bringing harm to themselves
One in 12 young people are self harming, and more girls are doing it than boys, according to new research.
Ten per cent of girls admitted to self-harming, compared to sex per cent of boys.
Of those that do self harm, a tenth of them continue to do so into young adulthood.
In the first study of its kind, Australian researchers followed about 2,000 students from age 15 to see how many self-harmed during adolescence and into their 20s.
They found self-harm was most common among 15-year-olds, particularly girls and teenagers with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
However most teens who deliberately hurt themselves in various ways, including cutting into their skin and overdosing, stopped by the time they hit adulthood.
The researchers believe the reasons for self harm - one of the strongest predictors of suicide - are linked to the struggle some teens have dealing with emotional problems.
Dr Paul Moran, from King's College London, and his co-authors wrote in an oline edition of The lnacet medical journal: "Our findings suggest that most adolescent self-harming behaviour resolves spontaneously.
"However, young people who self-harm often have mental health problems that might not resolve without treatment, as eivdent in the strong relation detected between adolescent anxiety and depression and an increased risk of self harm in young adulthood."
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