About 10 percent of adolescents say they have self-harmed at some point in their lives.

Most people self-harm in response to intense emotional pain or a sense of being overwhelmed by negative feelings, thoughts or memories.

What makes a young person vulnerable to self-harm?

Individual factors: depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, hopelessness, poor problem-solving, impulsivity, eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, bullying.

Family factors: mental health difficulties in the family, poor parental relationships, drug/alcohol misuse in the family, unreasonable expectations, conflict between young person and parents, excessive punishment or restrictions, family history of self-harm, abuse, neglect.

Social factors: difficulties in peer relationships, bullying, peer rejections, abuse, availability of methods of self-harm, friends who self-harm, media and internet influences.

Self-harm and suicide: there is an overlap between self-harm and thinking about suicide however not everyone who self-harms is suicidal. Sometimes people do very risky things and accidentally die or seriously injure themselves as a result of their self-harm.

For some young people it may seem there is no other way of dealing with what is going on, or expressing what they are feeling. Self-harm may offer temporary relief but it doesn't help a person to overcome a problem over time.

How can you help someone who is self-harming? Before you have a conversation with someone, obtaining information to help you better understand about self-harm is key. Find out who you can contact in your area to get support.There are a number of resources available online that can help inform you, contact your GP, school counsellors/nurses for advice.

If you want to talk through any questions or concerns these are other resources: