self-harm

Self-harm is not usually an attempt at taking our own life, but a way of expressing deep emotional feelings, such as low self-esteem. It is also a way to cope with traumatic events or situations, such as the death of a loved one, or an abusive relationship. Self-harm is not an illness, it is an expression of personal distress.

Our self-harm Blogs

Predicting suicide following self-harm: risk analysis provides little help

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Camille Hart, Alys Cole-King and Siobhan O’Neill co-author this blog about a recent systematic review of risk factors and risk scales, which explores the feasibility of predicting suicide following self-harm.

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Lithium for bipolar disorder: the best maintenance mood stabiliser protection against self-harm and suicide?

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Michael Ostacher provides a robust appraisal of a recent UK cohort study that suggests bipolar disorder patients taking lithium had reduced self-harm and unintentional injury rates, when compared with patients taking valproate, olanzapine or quetiapine.

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Locked wards vs open wards: does control = safety?

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Andre Tomlin
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André Tomlin summarises a 15 year observational study published today in The Lancet Psychiatry, which provides fascinating insight into suicide risk and absconding in psychiatric inpatient units with locked wards and open door policies.

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Self-harm on the rise, but many denied mental health assessments

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Katrina Witt explores a recently published paper that draws on the Multicentre Study of Self-Harm in England. The cohort study found that around one-half of self-harm patients do not receive psychosocial assessment, despite 2004 NICE guidance that recommends everyone who has self-harmed should have a comprehensive assessment of needs and risk.

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safeTALK for youth suicide prevention: new review finds no evidence of safety or efficacy

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Olivia Kirtley and Alys Cole-King appraise a new systematic review of the safeTALK school and community based youth suicide prevention intervention, which finds no evidence of safety or efficacy for this well established programme.

The blog also features a podcast featuring Olivia and Alys, along with Professor Stanley Kutcher, the lead author of this new review.

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#PreventableHarm discussion 20/7/16: Can risk assessment in mental health be evidence-based?

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Andre Tomlin
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Can risk assessment in mental health be evidence-based? Join us for the #PreventableHarm discussion in London on Wed 20th July 2016. This free open ‘question time’ style debate is being organised by the UCL Division of Psychiatry, The Lancet Psychiatry and the National Elf Service.

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How much mental health presents in emergency departments? We don’t really know

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Kirsten Lawson is frustrated by the uncertainty highlighted in a recent systematic review of the epidemiology of mental health attendances at emergency departments.

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Self-harm in primary care: more prescribing than referrals

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Olivia Kirtley and Alys Cole-King present a major new cohort study, which includes worrying evidence about the clinical management of patients in primary care following self-harm.

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Self-harm in young people: how can we support parents and families?

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Olivia Kirtley summarises an important new qualitative study that explores the impact of self-harm in young people on their parents and families.

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Eating disorders and suicide

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David Steele considers the implications of a Swedish population registry study, which finds that people with eating disorders and their close relations are at increased risk for attempting and/or completing suicide.

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