Self-harm normal activity, say girls

The charities' report, A Generation Under Stress?, surveyed almost 400 young women aged from 10 to 15 about their mental health and found many did not think self-abuse was a problem.

Instead, the girls told research company Opinion Leader that they saw self-harm as part of typical teenage behaviour, pointing out that some "emo" teenagers considered cutting themselves as what you do to fit in.

Celia Richardson, director of communications at the Mental Health Foundation, said it was a surprising finding. "We know from our previous research on self-harm that one in 10 young people do self-harm but it is surprising that these young women see it as typical behaviour. That's worrying. There's also a dangerous assumption that it might just be an attention or fashion thing, but that's also an assumption many adults make. Services must do more to raise awareness about what self-harm is and how to spot it."

The young women also said more needs to be done to make girls feel normal and accepted, and they also need help in understanding that they can't always control the way they feel.

- www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.