Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures themselves. It is a coping strategy for distress and should be treated as a wellbeing and safeguarding concern. In sport or physical activity, it's not your role to counsel or fix someone who is self-harming, but it is your role to recognise, respond and pass on relevant information when appropriate.
Self-harm is a broad term to refer to the actions of causing physical harm to the body, such as cutting, binge eating, exercising too much, self-neglect or using drugs. It's often done in private and there's not one single cause.
Can sport make self-harm better or worse?
Sport can be both a risk factor and a coping mechanism for young people who self-harm. Adults who work in sport should be aware of how sport plays a part and what they can do to create a healthy and positive environment to support mental health and wellbeing.
Things that can make self-harm worse
- putting too much emphasis on body shape, weight or how a body appears
- putting too much emphasis on performance and creating unrealistically high expectations
- making young people feel scared to fail
- controlling diets, routines or selection pressures
- ignoring, dismissing or shaming someone for any self-harm behaviours
- trying to control how they cope with distress
Things that can help someone who is self-harming
- being calm, approachable, inclusive and non-judgemental
- celebrating progress, team values and achieving personal goals
- listening when young people speak and engaging their voice in the running of the club
- talking about mental health and wellbeing regularly as part of the club ethos
- signposting anyone who self-harms to specialist services
How to spot signs of self-harm
Self-harm is individual to each person and the reason they do it. But there are a few signs to look out for that could indicate a child or young person is causing harm to themselves:
- injuries that don't match explanations or the sport
- choosing to wear different kit that covers arms or legs
- avoiding changing rooms
- a change in behaviour during training
- talking about themselves with intense criticism and expressing low self-worth
- visible distress during heightened periods of emotion
- pushing themselves too much to be perfect
- pushing themselves too much in training
Self-harm isn't a behaviour you can fix and it's not a sign that a young person feels suicidal. But it is a sign that something is wrong and the young person needs support.
How to respond to self harm
If you suspect a young person is self-harming, talk to them in a calm and non-judgemental way. Let them know you're here to help. Approach this as you would any other safeguarding concern. Let them talk at their own pace, be clear about confidentiality limits and signpost them to support services.
You should follow your organisation's safeguarding procedures and involve parents when or if appropriate. If you're not sure what to do, you can always contact the NSPCC Helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk to seek advice.