2024-07-13 09:40:02
A recent study published in July of this year in the journal Psychiatry Research showed that there is a link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and an increased risk of self-harm and suicide among adolescents with the condition.
According to the study, children diagnosed with the disease at age 10 began practicing self-harm before adolescence, in addition to the emergence of suicidal thoughts or actual planning for suicide by age 14, and the association was more evident in boys than girls.
Serious psychological consequences
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) in Sydney, highlighted the serious psychological consequences of the disease in adolescence and its negative effects on children and their low self-esteem due to the way others look at and treat them, which leads to them harming themselves as a form of punishment. They said that psychological support from the family plays an important role in treating these children.
The researchers analyzed data from nearly 3,700 teens who participated in the Australian Children’s Longitudinal Study. Of those, 3.6 percent had ADHD.
early suicidal thoughts
The researchers found that teens diagnosed in childhood were nearly 11 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts before age 14 than their healthy peers and were also 25 times more likely to self-harm with multiple cuts.
The scientists said the size of the increase in the proportion of children at risk was a real surprise, especially since the study relied mainly on self-reporting by teenagers, which suggests the percentage may be higher due to underreporting. The researchers controlled for factors that could have changed the outcome, such as the socioeconomic status of the children’s families, the date of diagnosis and treatment, and the children’s history of depression and anxiety.
Frequent exposure to bullying
The study showed that the symptoms of the disease make children more vulnerable to bullying due to their lack of concentration and inability to stay in one place, in addition to their academic difficulties, which leads to their social isolation, which negatively affects their psychological state and makes them frustrated and distressed. Self-harm is a way to vent anger and despair, and over time it develops into an attempt to get rid of life completely.
According to previous studies, adolescents with ADHD are also more likely to abuse drugs, abuse alcohol, and engage in criminal behavior. In addition to their physical effects on the nervous system, these substances are known to negatively affect self-image and cause low self-esteem, which contributes to severe self-harm thoughts that often lead to serious injuries.
self harming
The researchers said that the risk of self-harm and suicidal behavior was higher in male adolescents than in girls, and this may be due to the nature of the symptoms in each gender. Girls with ADHD are more likely to suffer from inattention rather than hyperactivity, while the opposite occurs in males, making them more impulsive, reckless, and prone to various accidents.
The study recommended the need to follow up on adolescents with the disease, especially males, to know their problems and work to solve them, and to provide them with sufficient psychological support through psychological sessions with specialists, using behavioral therapy with them, and spreading health awareness in schools to clarify how to deal with these children. It advised parents to notice any trace of scratches or wounds on the child’s body and report them immediately.
Last updated: July 9, 2024 – 18:51
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2024-07-13 09:40:02