Understanding Teen Self-Harm Scars

Teenagers navigate a very challenging world as they leave part of their childhood behind while still trying to find their way into becoming adults. Many people carry a scar or two from an accident or injury, but walking around with teen self-harm scars is another story. 

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The person often feels embarrassed and tries to hide their scars because they don’t want to talk about what really happened. 

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Horizon Recovery understands the impact bearing scars has on teenagers, and we offer treatment programs to help young people gain control of their urges to harm themselves. 

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Learn more about our teen self-harm treatment or verify your insurance now.

What is Self-Harm?

When someone self-arms, they are hurting themselves physically as a symptom of a mental health disorder. 

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The individual experiences emotional pain in the form of thoughts, feelings, fears, and memories of past traumatic events. 

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They do things like cut, bite, burn, and scratch themselves as a way of self-soothing, to distract themselves, or even just to feel something. Some people with teen self-harm scars also bang their heads, pull out their hair, and break their bones. 

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Even if they want to quit what they’re doing, the urge to engage in this maladaptive behavior overtakes them.

Teen Self-Harm Scars and the Damage Done

Teen self-harm scars are born from the act of adolescents hurting themselves because they feel compelled to do it. Unfortunately, the act itself can bring on additional damages that compound, making their situation even more distressing.

Physical or Medical Dangers

Teen self-harm scars often result because the young person does not reach out for the medical help they need. 

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Untreated self-injuries can cause the individual to experience skin that does not knit back together, pain, itching, inflammation, and reduced movement in the injured area (such as a finger or hand). 

Emotional Damage

Teenagers want to fit in and not have something about them that stands out and can cause ridicule from others. Walking around with self-harm scars can cause anxiety, depression, and shame. 

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Many teenagers cover up their injuries and scars with long-sleeved shirts, jackets, and pants, even when the weather is warm. They often feel rejected or fear reaching out to others who may stare, make jokes, or ask questions. As well, if the teenager needs medical care and is too frightened to ask for it, they carry around the burden of bearing bodily damage that could put them in danger. 

How are Teen Self-Harm Injuries Treated?

Parents with a teenager who has self-harm injuries should make an appointment with their child’s doctor to determine if they need any treatment. 

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Options can include something like ointment and other salves used as topical treatments. More serious options can include medical procedures and injectables. There are also options for treatments that target reducing scars whenever possible. 

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Parents might want to ask their child’s doctor if they can recommend any support groups for teenagers who self-injure. If the individual is attending therapy or part of a residential or outpatient program, their self-injuring should be addressed as part of their treatment. 

How to Explain Teen Self-Harm Scars to Others

When someone asks a pointed question about how a person got a scar, it’s important to remember that they have the right not to talk about it or to speak in general terms that establish boundaries on the subject. 

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For example, if someone asked, “How did you get those scars on your arms?”, the teenager can say something like, “I went through a challenging experience, but I’m healing now.” or “It’s a long story I can tell you when we know each other better.”

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Keep in mind that the teenager has the right never to explain in further detail if they don’t want to open up like that with a particular person. 

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While the inclination to cover up scars is natural, a person can begin to feel less shame and more comfortable in their skin if they don’t make a habit of always covering up.

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People often find it easier not to ask questions or judge if they see the person with the scars can have times where they can just be themselves - scars and all.

What Types of Therapy Help Treat Self-Harming?

While the idea of sending their child to therapy can feel intimidating to many parents, the good news is that there are several kinds that teenagers often respond to that can help improve their mental health. 

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These include: 

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• Clinical therapies
• Holistic therapies
• Family therapy
• Education services
• Independent living skills training
• Neurofeedback therapy
• Medication management
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

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Many teenagers do well when they pair therapy sessions with a prescription medication to help ease their symptoms, such as depression, moodiness, and anxiety.

Begin Treatment For Teens in Arizona

Does your teenager deal with a mental illness and needs help gaining control of their urge to harm themselves? 

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Horizon Recovery employs an expert staff of therapists and other mental health clinicians who build bonds with your child and engage them in learning healthy coping skills that replace the urge to hurt themselves. We offer multiple therapy modalities including teen residential treatment, Partial Hospitalization Programming (PHP), and Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP) and will discuss prescription medication options with you to help your child live up to their full potential.   

‍Contact us now to find out how quickly your child can enroll in one of our programs. Let today be the day you reach out for life-changing help that can keep your child safe.