Self Harm

 

The mental health community tells us that self-harming behavior grows out of a number of different scenarios -- trauma, abuse, emotional disruption, uprooting, stress, isolation and lack of sufficient coping skills.

More cases have been documented about girls and young women than boys and young men but the latter group might be better at hiding their scars, we're told.

We're also told self harming includes making decisions that might put oneself in danger or other forms of self-sabotage that support the sufferer's feelings of negativity and worthlessness.

Parents are urged not to confuse self-harming with attention-seeking or clumsiness. Cutting and bruising and repeated falls and scrapes and breaks could be cries for help.

Self-harm is not the same as suicidal ideation but, we're told, if underlying stresses and feelings of worthlessness are not addressed the harming might escalate.

I think just as people can be self-harming, so can communities. They might collectivity self-harm by making poor choices about leadership, use of their resources, setting their priorities, protecting children and elders and ensuring the environment is safe.

Why would a community, state or region do this? Because they feel no one expects better from them.