ABSTRACT:

Adolescent self-harm remains a critical and rising public health challenge across the United Kingdom and Europe, with particular prevalence among female adolescents. While existing literature extensively documents the predisposing risk factors, a distinct paucity remains regarding the empirical investigation of self-harm cessation. This volume addresses this crucial gap by exploring the positive social, relational, and psychological mechanisms that propel adolescents away from self-injurious behaviors and toward recovery.

KEY THEMES & THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS:

Drawing on over thirty-five years of clinical practice across educational and psychiatric inpatient settings, the work integrates psychoanalytic theory—specifically incorporating Kleinian and post-Kleinian perspectives on containment (Bion) and projective identification—with contemporary developmental psychology. A central focus is placed on the differential communication modes of self-harm, examining why adolescent cutters often present with distinct non-verbal expressions compared to those engaging in overdoses, linking these phenomena to considerations of alexithymia.

Furthermore, the text evaluates the multifaceted influences of social networks, school environments, and modern digital ecosystems, including the role of social media forums. Special consideration is given to high-risk sub-groups, such as neurodivergent adolescents (including autism and ADHD), and the complex, dual-natured impact of religion and spirituality as both protective factors and potential sources of psychological distress.

Keywords: Adolescent Self-Harm, Cessation Pathways, Psychoanalytic Containment, Alexithymia, School Safeguarding, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).