Bible/Advice/Resources

By Summer Lane

Photo: Pixabay

According to data analysis from the newest AI search tool Grok, which synthesized data from organizations like the National Institute of Mental Health and the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, around 5 percent of the U.S. population today has engaged in self-harm at some point in their lives. 

For those who have never self-harmed, this can be a difficult statistic to understand. Why would anyone want to hurt themselves with methods like burning or cutting? Most often, it’s due to emotional regulation problems. Self-harm can be used as a way to cope with negative feelings like rage, grief, or even numbness. And according to one expert in the field of mental health I once discussed this topic with, it typically happens because 1) that person feels numb and wants to feel something or 2) they need to release bound-up pressure or rage and feel that self-harm helps them do this.

It makes sense that adolescents struggle with self-harm when they’re going through the rough years of teenage tumult, shifting hormones, and body-image issues. According to an article in Psychiatry Research published in Science Direct, more than half of those who self-harm present a “significant suicide risk,” as there is a direct link between “deliberate self-harm and suicide attempts, with more than nine in ten adolescents with suicide attempts also reporting deliberate self-harm.”

This is clearly a very serious issue, and it is a tragedy indeed that both kids and adults alike struggle with it.

According to former-atheist-turned-evangelist Dave Glander, self-harm comes down to misunderstanding one’s identity and self-worth.

Without Jesus and the truth of God’s love and purpose in our lives, it can be hard to find a compass in a world hellbent on sending negative messages to kids about who they should be and how they should identify. Kids don’t see themselves valued and loved like Jesus does, and so they resort to other methods of coping with the hardships of life.

The topic of self-harm is an uncomfortable one, but it’s important. Let’s pray for those who are struggling with this scourge and help those who we know may be suffering in that way. Psalm 139:14 reminds us, “I praise you because I am FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Let’s remind those suffering with self-harm that they were created in the image of God, that they have a wonderful purpose, and that they are loved.

And of course, if anyone you know is suffering from self-harm or suicidal thoughts, here is the number to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988.

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Dave Glander talks about self-harm and self-loathing among kids in today’s society:

There’s an epidemic of self-loathing in society today when it comes to young people, and it manifests in terrible ways. So many kids misunderstand their identities and suffer from an extreme lack of self-worth, which results in bad habits like self-harm. Dave Glander is a former atheist who now proudly follows Christ, and he is an apologist with Reasons for Hope. He frequently teaches and preaches to youth and spearheads the life-changing Equip Retreat camp for kids, which helps young people learn how to live out their faith in Christ. Dave discusses the root core of the self harm epidemic stemming from a lack of understanding of their identities in Jesus Christ. Why do kids hurt themselves? Because they don’t see themselves as valued and loved as God does.

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.

Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.

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