Self-harm and suicidal behaviors in childhood, adolescence, and youth

The Self-harm and suicidal behaviors in young people are a harsh reality in our current society. Generally, the right to suffer and to feel unwell during adolescence is not legitimized or validated, but on the other hand, we are alarmed by the way young people express their distress through their bodies. These behaviors are a ruthless reality, which is rarely discussed, despite the efforts of professionals to stop it from being a taboo topic. Currently, they are one of the main causes of unnatural death in adolescence.

Self-harm has a multi-causal component, with clear social, economic, and relational conditioning factors. Social networks can be acting as an amplifier and a medium for disseminating these types of behaviors.

During this session, we reflected and delved in a multidisciplinary way into: what self-harm and suicidal behaviors are, the role the body plays in their manifestation, how they can be prevented, how to act from different fields (family, school, mental health, social services) when they occur, what treatment options are available, and what community resources can be useful to address this growing distress expressed by young people.

At the end of the event, attendees were offered the chance to complete an evaluation survey to assess their level of satisfaction and identify strengths and areas for improvement for future events.