March 1, 2025 is Self-Injury Awareness Day, a day that mental health organizations around the world have dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding self-harm and promoting prevention strategies.
Why does this matter?
Self-harm affects millions around the world. Recent studies suggest that around 17% of adolescents aged 10 to 19 have engaged in self-injury (Denton & Álvarez, 2024). Despite this widespread prevalence, misinformation and stigma often prevent individuals from seeking help.
This year, ongoing political and policy shifts have heightened stress levels for many. In light of those risk factors, it’s more important than ever before to use this day to spread awareness about self-harm prevention and what we can do to support mental well-being of the people around us.
What can we do to prevent self-harm?
One of the most powerful ways that we can prevent self-harm is through creating and maintaining strong, supportive relationships with others.
Research consistently shows that meaningful connections, whether with friends or family members, are a major factor that can protect against self-harm (Khan & Ungar, 2023; McEvoy et al., 2023).
It’s important to note that this support isn’t just limited to our relationships. Specifically, a positive school environment can also act as a strong protective factor against self-harm. One recent study suggested that when students feel connected to their school and view its climate positively, they are less likely to engage in self-harm, even in the face of cyberbullying (Dorol-Beauroy-Eustache & Mishara, 2021).
Based on these studies, here are some actions that you can take to protect others from engaging in self-harm:
- Check in regularly with your friends and family! A simple “Hey, how have you been?” can help others remember that they have supportive relationships.
- Encourage open conversations about mental health. Mental health is still a very stigmatized topic, so if you can help others feel more comfortable to talk about their own struggles with you, that can go a long way in helping them see their world as supportive.
- Support youth in school settings by promoting positive school environments between students, faculty, and administration. If you’re connected with students in your personal life, talk to them about the importance of being kind to others.
Through these simple actions, we can all have an impact in preventing self-harm in the people around us.
What can we advocate for to prevent self-harm?
Beyond creating and maintaining personal connections, we can also advocate for programs that help young people build self-esteem, resilience, and emotional well-being, key traits that protect against self-harm.
Research shows that promoting positive traits like self-efficacy and self-esteem is strongly linked to lower self-harm rates in youth (Khan & Ungar, 2023). Additionally, studies suggest that social connection and high self-esteem can reduce self-harm risk, especially among students facing bullying (Islam et al., 2022). Even traits like self-compassion, which can encompass practicing self-kindness and mindfulness, can help buffer against depressive symptoms that often lead to self-harm (Xavier et al., 2016).
With these findings in mind, what can we do to make a difference?
- Support school programs that teach self-efficacy, self-esteem, and emotional resilience. If you’re in a PTA organization or able to attend a school district town hall, bring these ideas up!
- Encourage mental health education programs that promote self-compassion. Talk to students’ teachers about setting time aside to teach mental health!
By championing programs that empower the youth, we can help reduce self-harm risk and promote long-term mental well-being.
So how should we celebrate Self-Injury Awareness Day?
So on this Self-Injury Awareness Day, take the time to remember that you have the power to prevent self-harm in the people and community that surround you.
Whether by creating and maintaining strong, supportive relationships with the people that you know, or by advocating for programs that will empower the youth, always remember that there is so much that we can do to make a difference in the fight against self-harm.
Resources
Interested in learning more about what you can do to support the cause of self-harm prevention? Check out these organizations:
- Self-Injury Outreach & Support – a non-profit initiative dedicated to providing support for those who engage with self-harm, and for those who wish to support others that engage with self-harm.
- Harmless – a UK-based organization that provides information and support about self-harm and suicide prevention.
References
Denton, E. G., & Álvarez, K. (2024). The global prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury among adolescents. JAMA Network Open, 7(6), e2415406. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.15406
Dorol–Beauroy-Eustache, O., & Mishara, B. L. (2021). Systematic review of risk and protective factors for suicidal and self-harm behaviors among children and adolescents involved with cyberbullying. Preventive Medicine, 152, 106684–106684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106684
Islam, M. I., Yunus, F. M., Kabir, E., & Khanam, R. (2022). Evaluating risk and protective factors for suicidality and self-harm in Australian adolescents with traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimizations. American Journal of Health Promotion, 36(1), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171211034105
Khan, A., & Ungar, M. (2023). Resilience to self-harm: A scoping review of protective factors that aid in recovery among marginalized young people. Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 44(1), 61–69. https://doi-org.lib-proxy.fullerton.edu/10.1027/0227-5910/a000831
McEvoy, D., Brannigan, R., Cooke, L., Butler, E., Walsh, C., Arensman, E., & Clarke, M. (2023). Risk and protective factors for self-harm in adolescents and young adults: An umbrella review of systematic reviews. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 168, 353–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.10.017
National Today. (2025). Self-injury awareness day – March 1, 2025. https://nationaltoday.com/self-injury-awareness-day/
Xavier, A., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Cunha, M. (2016). The protective role of self-compassion on risk factors for non-suicidal self-injury in adolescence. School Mental Health, 8(4), 476–485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9197-9
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