PHA Extend Offer Of Support On Self-Harm Awareness Day

To mark Self-Harm Awareness Day, 01 March, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging anyone affected, including families and carers, to seek support.

According to Dr Denise O'Hagan, a Public Health Consultant with the PHA, people self-harm for various reasons which can include severe emotional distress. It can take many different forms, may be hidden from others and for some, is a way of coping with and communicating distress.

Available across Northern Ireland, the Self-Harm Intervention Programme is a PHA funded initiative delivered by local community and voluntary organisations. Over 3,000 people are referred to the service each year.

Dr O'Hagan appealed to anyone suffering or affected by self-harm to reach out for support. She commented: "Awareness leads to more understanding, reducing judgement and fear, and hopefully making people who may be suffering in silence feel less alone. If you need help to prevent or reduce self-harming, speak to your GP who will assess your needs and make a referral to the most appropriate service for you.

"The SHIP programme is designed to help individuals develop the skills to cope with difficulties in their lives and prevent further acts of self-harm. The service is open to young people aged over 11 years old and adults, and offers short-term counselling in relation to self-harm. SHIP can also direct individuals to services to support them with other problems they may be experiencing."

The PHA is also seeking to highlight the support available to carers and family embers who may be struggling to cope when a loved one is self-harming. Anyone who becomes aware that someone is harming themselves is advised to encourage the person to seek help.

Dr O'Hagan added: "Self-harm can have a huge impact on other family members whose own mental health may begin to suffer without support. Self-harming may occur in any family situation and there should be no fear or stigma around seeking help with this issue.

"SHIP can provide a short period of education and support to carers to help them better understand and cope with this issue and ensure they know how to obtain help in a crisis situation. Feedback from family members who have taken up this support indicates that they feel family relationships are much improved and that they are much better able to connect with and support their loved one. Carers can attend the service even if the person who self-harms does not want to attend counselling for themselves. Families or carers who would like to arrange an appointment should contact SHIP in the area in which they live."

Contact numbers for families and careers are as follows:

• Belfast Trust area- 02890 200396

• Northern and Western Trust areas- 02871 266999

• South Eastern and Southern Trust areas- 02887 723321

Telephone lines are open Monday- Friday between 9am and 4pm, excluding public holidays.

The PHA has also produced helpful booklets to support families and carers and these are available on the PHA website:

• Improving the lives of people who self harm

• Caring for someone who has self-harmed or had suicidal thoughts.



(JG/MH)