BHEKISISA: Cutting: Why teens turn to self-harm when they don’t have words for their pain

2026-01-29 - 10:11

Self-harm among SA adolescents is emerging as a far more widespread problem than previously understood, with new research showing alarmingly high rates among school-aged children. Experts say the behaviour is often a response to unprocessed trauma, loss and emotional distress, rather than a desire to die, but warn it is a strong predictor of later suicide risk in a country where mental health services for young people remain severely limited.