Non-suicidal self harm increases could have serious long-term public health implications

A new NIHR-funded study found that rates of non-suicidal self-harm rose in England between 2000 and 2014, from 2% of the population to 6% and suggested that the increase could lead to self-harm becoming normalised for young people.  It called on more health and educational services to be available, and for health and other professionals to discuss self-harm with young people and encourage them to find safer ways of coping. The increase was in all age groups in England, but particularly in young women and girls. Non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) is deliberate, self-inflicted harm without suicidal intent. The study, funded by NIHR’s Policy Research Programme and published in The Lancet Psychiatry,