The rate of students hospitalized as a result of intentionally harming themselves jumped significantly, more than doubling from 2009 to 2014, according to a report from Statistics Canada. It’s a trend reflected amongst students in Rocky View Schools (RVS), according to lead psychologist Chris Pawluk.
“Over the last few years, it seems to be occurring more and more. Maybe we’re just more aware and notice it, I don’t know,” he said. “But teachers have noticed it more and more and have asked about it.”
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), female students are four times more likely to be hospitalized for self-harm than male students. However, Pawluk said he had noticed a higher frequency of instances involving male students.
“Typically, non-suicidal self-injury is a female behaviour and occasionally you get boys. I think we get more boys doing it now, and I don’t hear about all of them,” he said. “But I definitely have gotten more phone calls about boys than I ever had in the last five years.”
Data from the CIHI from the tracked period shows a 90 per cent increase in the number of girls hospitalized as a result of cutting. However, the majority of the 2,500 hospitalizations were a result of “intentional poisoning,” including the use of prescription medications, narcotics, illegal drugs and chemical solvents.
In response to the increase, RVS held an information meeting March 24, providing information to parents about how to speak to their children about self-harm. Information presented at the meeting is available online at rockyview.ab.ca
“It’s really hard to not have an emotional response to your child,” Pawluk said. “(The meeting spelt) out ways for parents to say, ‘I’m terribly concerned about you and I want to help you.’
“Then there’s knowing where that might come from and why your child might be doing this really incomprehensible thing. ‘Why would you even do that? It hurts.’ It’s mind-blowing.”
According to Pawluk, self-harm is often engaged in by students without suicidal intent.
“It’s deliberately called non-suicidal self-injury. We’re trying to make this point clear. This isn’t a suicidal response, it’s an attempt to deal with suicidal thoughts in a non-fatal way,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they’re going to kill themselves. Sometimes, this means the exact opposite of that.”
Dr. Laura Calhoun, medical director of mental health in Alberta, said it was difficult to understand the increase of self-harm at a broad population level.
“It would be nice to think that it would be something simple, but I think it’s very individualistic,” she said. “We have mental health capacity building initiatives in many schools across the province. They all do prevention and promotion, and I think they’re able to link kids who need more than preventative (programs).
“For parents, the best thing they can do is have a good strong relationship with their teens. Have their teens tell them what’s going on and (not to be) afraid to go to them when there’s a problem. The parents can access help if they need it.”
