Disturbing rise in SELF-HARM selfies as teenagers post gruesome images online Mental health charities say the disturbing trend is occurring because of the ease of accessing the sites through smartphones They warn the pictures encourage people to compete with each other They also make people victims of cyber-bullying, exacerbating low feelings Soaring numbers of young people are posting self-harming 'selfies' online due to the rise in popularity of apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. Mental health charities say the disturbing trend is occurring because of the ease of accessing the sites through smartphones. They add that many young people also feel they have 'no one else to turn to'. Soaring numbers of young people are posting self-harming 'selfies' online due to the rise in popularity of apps such as Instagram and Snapchat, charities have warned The issue was raised on ITV's This Morning as part of a self-harm awareness slot. Recent official statistics have shown the number of teens admitted to hospital because of self-harm has risen by 10 per cent. Franki Eaton, 25, who has been self-harming for 11 years, appeared on the show. She told Holly Willougby and Phillip Schofield that she self-harmed as a form of 'release' and that the pain would 'shock' her out of feeling low. Francis Burrows, operations director of the charity Mindfull, told MailOnline that apps such as Instagram and Snapchat had made self-harming selfies an emerging and worrying phenomenon. He said: 'These apps provide a place where people can post images and then have others comment on them. And these images can have a profound effect on people. They see what other people have done and it gives them validation to do the same. Most people look at these images and are shocked - but for these young people it can become competitive. Franki Eaton, who appeared on ITV's This Morning, says she self-harms as a form of 'release' 'They look at an image and think "they've cut deeper" than me - and then think they must do it. It's rather like the "thinspiration" sites - but these apps make everything more instant.' But there is an added, more sinister angle. Sadly, this can lead to posts encouraging them to harm themselves more. Schools are coming to us saying they have a problem but don't know how to address it.' Mr Burrows said: 'But it can go the other way, too, where they are bullied or trolled because of their pictures. this then turns into a vicious cycle where they self-harm even more. He urged isolated self-harmers to contact the charity for help rather than using apps. If you seek help, we can put you in touch with a counsellor and get help. The kids who come to us talk about exam pressure, family problems, bullying, low level depression, anxiety. For help, advice and support, visit the Mindfull website.