This website has been set up as way of finding help for people who self harm, or for friends or family concerned about someone. In this site you should be able to find out lots of information about why people self harm, ways to stop and ways to help. Also information on related topics including depression and suicide prevention.

• Self-harm is most common in children over the age of 11 and increases in frequency with age. It is uncommon in very young children although there is evidence of children as young as five trying to harm themselves.
• Self-harm is more common amongst girls and young women than amongst boys and young men. Studies indicate that, amongst young people over 13 years of age, approximately three times as many females as males harm themselves.
• A study in Oxford found that approximately 300 per 100,000 males aged between 15 and 24 years, and 700 per 100,000 females of the same age, were admitted to hospital following an episode of self-harm during the year 2000.
• Community based studies report higher rates of self-harm than hospital based studies.
• A national survey of children and adolescents carried out in the community found that 5 per cent of boys and 8 per cent of girls aged 13-15 said that they had, at some time, tried to harm, hurt or kill themselves.
• In the same national survey, rates of self-harm reported by parents were much lower than the rates of self-harm reported by children. This suggests that many parents are unaware that their children are self-harming.
• A study carried out in schools in 2002 found that 11 per cent of girls and 3 per cent of boys aged 15 and 16 said they had harmed themselves in the previous year.
• Greater incidence of self-injury amongst gay and lesbian young adults; five times more likely than their heterosexual counterparts

• Greater incidence of self-injury amongst those with physical disabilities and epilepsy

  • The UK has one of the highest rates of self-harm in Europe, at 400 per 100,000 population. It is estimated that there are at least 170,000 cases of self-harm which come to hospital attention each year. Many more incidents of self-harming behaviour probably take place but are not included in any statistics because people may choose not to seek medical help.

Remember someone will always be there for you if you need them, even if you think the whole worlds against you.