![Do Friends of At-risk Youth Need Extra Support to Stay Mentally Strong? Do Friends of At-risk Youth Need Extra Support to Stay Mentally Strong?](https://images.medindia.net/health-images/1200_1000/seek-friend.jpg)
‘Self-harm becomes a major public health concern as it affects 10-20 percent of young people aged between 11 and 25. #self_harm #MentalHealth #SuicidalThoughts’
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In an extensive literature review, the team set out to draw together all the research in this area to reach a better understanding of common themes around friendship and self-harm in young people. ![twitter](https://images.medindia.net/icons/news/social/twitter.png)
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The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, considers the experiences and perspectives of young people who self-harm, and of friends who find themselves in a position of supporting a young person who is self-harming (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
A systematic review and narrative synthesis exploring the relationship between friendships and peer relationships, and self-harm ideation and behaviour among young people
Go to source).
Self-Harm: A Rising Public Health Problem
Self-harm is considered a major public health concern, with between 10-20% of young people aged between 11 and 25 self-harming – a figure that has been steadily rising in recent years.During adolescence, peer relationships become increasingly important. The associations between friendships and self-harm are known to be crucial, but the nature, direction and strength of these is unclear. Our review shows that young people who self-harm are in need of support, and often confide in their friends who they trust and feel close to.
However, this may have a knock-on impact on their friends’ wellbeing. A specific recommendation based on this review is that, when a young people disclose that their friend has self-harmed, the adults involved should also extend support to the young people who made the disclosure.
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Key themes uncovered by the researchers included:
- Social transmission of self-harm, also known as ‘contagion’, is the process in which young people may be drawn towards self-harm during the process of having and or supporting a friend who self-harms
- The importance of friendships as primary sources of support for young people self-harming or tending towards self-harm
- Negative outcomes among friends bereaved from a peer’s suicide and friends supporting a young person who self-harms, including symptoms of depressions, anxiety, PTSD and grief.
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Delfina Bilello added: “Our study offers robust justification for further work to identify and develop tailored interventions for young people who are supporting at-risk friends.”
Reference:
- A systematic review and narrative synthesis exploring the relationship between friendships/ peer relationships, and self-harm ideation and behavior among young people - (https://europepmc.org/article/PPR/PPR859575)
Source-Eurekalert