The Journey Overcoming the Dark
Doctor Nguyen Viet Ha, Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital), shares the story of T, a 10th grade female student in Hanoi, who grew up in a family full of conflicts. Her parents often argued and domestic violence became childhood memories. Although they do not lack finances, their busy lives make them spend less time with their children. T lived alone, lacking connection to her family and sister.
At school, T was teased by friends for being shy and shy. He gradually recovered, did not participate in extracurricular activities and had difficulty communicating. The family did not recognize any signs of instability in him, only caring about his academic achievements. Gradually, T no longer wanted to go to school or go home, feeling lost in both places.
In high school, I started to feel sad and tired. Once, through forums on the Internet, T learned about his self-harmful behavior. At first, I was just curious, but then decided to try. When he received a poor score in the 8th grade entrance exam and was scolded by his mother, T used a knife to handcuff him. The feeling of stress seemed to disappear immediately, causing her to gradually rely on this behavior to control her emotions.
At first, T only caused pain when he was too stressed, but over time, even the small pressures made him come to the knife. The wounds are getting worse and worse. I always carry a small knife, as a way to be ready to " release" at any time. Although he hid it in a long-sleeved shirt, T's condition became more and more serious.
For about half a year now, she has been in a state of severe depression. He lost interest in everything, dropped out of school, ate and slept disorderly. The thought of death often comes to mind. There was a time when I wanted to go deep to end everything.
Once, while hiding in the restroom to hurt himself, T was discovered by friends and reported to the teacher. The school immediately notified the family. Realizing signs of danger, the family took him to the Institute of Mental Health for examination.
Doctors diagnosed T with severe depression without symptoms of psychosis, accompanied by self-inflicted injury and the idea of committing suicide. She was hospitalized for intensive treatment with depression medicine, sedatives and psychotherapy. Behavioral therapy helps him change negative thinking, while family therapy helps parents learn to care for and accompany their children.
After 30 days of treatment, T improved significantly. I think less negatively, sleep and eat stably. Most importantly, he learned to deal with emotions without needing to self-harm. The family has also changed, spending more time listening and connecting with her.
T was discharged from the hospital and continued outpatient treatment. The road ahead is still full of challenges, but I am not alone.
The pain cannot be put into words
Doctor Nguyen Hoang Yen - Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital) said that in the first 6 months of 2024, the Institute of Mental Health received 130 - 140 cases of adolescents who caused self-injury.
"There is no single cause for this situation. Children can hurt themselves due to academic pressure, family conflicts, friends or high expectations for themselves. This behavior is also considered a way to deal with negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, and depression when not finding the right way to express.
The identifying signs include scratches, dark purines, bite marks, signs on the skin (excluding tattoos/psitive); wearing long clothes in hot weather, often giving a reason for accidents; staying in a private room for a long time, feeling unexpected and sudden; expressing helplessness, separation from family, decreased study; appearing unusual blood stains, loss of sharp objects in the house", Dr. Nguyen Hoang Yen analyzed.
According to Dr. Yen, adolescents are vulnerable to changes in psychology, physiology, brain and are affected from childhood. This is the period when parents need to pay the most attention, paying attention to changes in psychology, appearance, and relationships to promptly support and seek professional help when needed.
