vidual who engages in NSSI behaviour, either does it to get relief from negative feelings, to resolve interpersonal difficulties, or to induce a positive feeling,” as per the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
Rishika Deswal, a Teach for India fellow is actively engaged in helping out the students in her classrooms who habitually cut themselves.
“It is fitting to take an expert on-board in order to find a solid solution for these kids, but initially, starting conversations amongst small groups of kids going through the same thing helps,” Deswal said.
“Listening”, Deswal said, “is the key to getting the kids to open up.”
“Just try to listen to the kids, and not advise them initially. Once they recognize it as a safe space, they want to talk and listen to you,” she added.
Riddhi, a postgraduate student who used to cut herself back when she was in school, said that admitting or talking about self-harm is the first step towards recovery but also the hardest, especially for children.
Dr. Appachu said that self-harm is a very individual specific behaviour.
“Self-harm is not something one learns from experience. It may be possible that one fellow classmate could tell the other about how it feels or helps, and the kid may pick it up, but it depends on individuals,” she added.
Riddhi echoed Dr. Appachu’s point by confirming that most children get influenced by looking at someone cutting themselves, just the way she was.
Dr. Appachu added, “Almost 9 out of ten times, it is the kid who discovers and indulges in self-harming behaviour and starts doing it regularly as a distraction from emotional stress.”
Tejasvini said that she has been familiar with depression since she was eleven years old.
“I couldn’t talk to my mother. I still feel she would not have understood. All a child needs at this point is someone who understands, so that’s the first step at recovery,” she said.
“Sadly, if we wait for the government to do something for these kids that come from economically poor backgrounds, then we are not doing our bit as a society,” she said.
“Irrespective of our professions, if we can reach out to one of these million kids who are suffering, it makes a lot of difference,” she added.