"Sometimes it feels like the support group might have saved my life": Julia's story

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Self-Harm Team run a support group for parents of children who self harm. One of the mums from the group, Julia, shares her story.

Sometimes it feels like Caroline and Marie’s support group might have saved my life. That might be an exaggeration but it’s certainly gone a long way towards supporting my mental health…and I can only adequately support my children when I’m doing okay myself.

Young people and self-harm

We spoke to Marie Armstrong, Clinical Lead for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) self-harm team, to find out about young people experiencing self-harm.

My name in Marie Armstrong, and I have been Nurse Consultant, Clinical Lead for the CAMHS self-harm team for 15 years. During that time it has been a privilege that so many young people have shared their different stories, their experiences, pain and distress but also their hopes and recoveries with me.

What is self-harm?

Self-harm includes things like cutting, burning or taking an overdose – harming yourself in any way. Self-harm can affect adults as well as young people, and lots of the advice in this blog applies to adults, too.