How common is it?
About ten per cent of admissions to UK medical wards are as a result of self-harm. Women are at the most risk of self-harming between the ages of 15 and 19; men, between 20 and 24.
Women have higher rates of self-harm than men.
Methods of self-harm vary, but the majority of hospital admissions are for drug overdoses - only five to 15 per cent are caused by cutting.
These figures probably hide another group of people who regularly self-harm to relieve stress. These people have usually found ways to keep their problem hidden and when they do harm themselves badly enough to need treatment, will often have a story prepared, or will not seek help at all. The result can be permanent disfigurement or a serious infection.
About half the men admitted to hospital for self-harm and a quarter of women have also drank alcohol in the hours beforehand. This is a very worrying figure. A person who has taken a drug overdose runs the risk of the drugs interacting with the alcohol. Both could become more potent when mixed, with tragic consequences.
It's important to make a distinction between self-harm and attempted suicide, though people who self-mutilate often go on to attempt suicide as did Rob in his story.
Many people indulge in behaviour that is harmful to themselves, such as smoking or drinking to excess. But people don't smoke to damage themselves - harm is an unfortunate side-effect. The reason they smoke is for pleasure. Yet people who cut themselves intend to hurt themselves.
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