Overcoming Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts Paperback – 9 Mar. 2015

This is an easy to read and extremely informative book about self harm and suicide. Gives lots of tips on how to recognise the signs a teenager maybe self harming and how to approach the situation. Very good tips on nutrition and complementary therapies that can help support a teenagers wellbeing.

Very informative and easy to read

great book

An article in the Daily mail regarding this book caught my eye and as I have a 17 year-old grandson who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia with a history of self harming and a public declaration of eventual suicide, I feel that all knowledge is useful. This book is in relatively easy to read and understand .I would recommend it to anyone who has preconceived ideas about the subject.

Good addition to my library

I read this book as a parent and I think any parent who has a teenager should read this book as it will help parents pick up any signs that their teenager may be struggling. The book is very practical and I picked up lots of tips and advice and gave me practical solutions to think about implementing into our family life. A must have guide for any teenage parent.

This book is an invaluable resource for parents and professionals facing the daunting task of supporting a teenager through a difficult time in life- a time when suicidal thoughts and self harming behaviours present as indicators that the well being of a young person has been compromised by what Quish calls “the gremlin” of self defeatist syndrome.Quish addresses readers in a tone that is kind, firm and endlessly encouraging, modelling the tone which she suggests will prove most beneficial to use in dealing with a young person in difficulty. Explaining anxiety, depression, low self-esteem ,suicidal thoughts and self-harm as symptoms of a self-defeatist syndrome, Quish arms her reader with many helpful tips on how to spot risk factors (eg.emotional states) and behaviours (eg. self harm), understand the reasons behind them and crucially, what to do and how to approach your teenager if you have concerns. Quish demystifies talk therapies which have proven to help struggling teenagers and empowers parents and professionals by outlining therapeutic strategies which may be utilised by any adult supporting a teen in distress. A list of wholistic approaches which may relieve stress and restore balance in a teens, as well guide to health eating for mental well being, serve as reassuringly practical aids for consideration. I was really impressed with a chapter on helpful parenting styles which aims to aid parents in maximising their potential to successfully support their teen in a difficult time.This is a well researched, informative, practical and also compassionate book which will be useful to return to time and time again while helping a teen to negotiate a challenging period and restore a sense of well-being in their lives. I highly recommend for parents and professionals alike, as well as anyone working around teens who wishes to gain an understanding of the self-defeating syndrome that can cause such hurt to young people.

著者は英国の心理療法家で，自傷行為や致死的な自殺企図に及ぶ青少年の援助に，長年取り組んできた。本書は，このような青年期の子どもをもつ親に向けて，自傷行為や自殺企図を予防する実践的な方略を記したものである。本書は単刀直入で本題に入る。自国の自傷や自殺の総説は一切なく，著者のもとを訪れる自傷行為に及ぶ青少年の心理的な特徴が描き出されている。彼らはおしなべて疲労感や絶望感，怒りや孤独感を抱いており，自尊心と希望が持てなくなっている。著者はこのようなネガティブな心理的状態ことを，‘self defeatist syndrom’（自己否定症候群）と命名している。この独特な造語が本文の至る所にちりばめられていて，読み進める上で悩ましい。自殺企図に及んだり，希死念慮に苛まされている青少年は，親やきょうだい，恋人，友人との死別や離別を経験し，物理的・心理的に孤立していることが多い。しかし親は，「自殺について話すと寝た子を起こすことになる｣｢青少年の自傷行為や自殺企図なんて所詮周りの注意を引くためにするのだ｣と，わが国と同様に誤った認識を持っている。青少年と正面きって希死念慮について率直に話し合い，専門家による治療につなげなくてはならない。そして，精神疾患にかかっていない青少年でも，周りのサポートが得られないと希死念慮を抱いたり，最悪の場合は既遂に至ることさえあると注意を喚起している。本書の中で，著者は自傷行為と自殺企図の相違点を論じていない。しかし，いずれの場合も｢自己否定症候群｣に陥っている青少年に対し，どのような心理療法においても共感と受容を示し，自尊心を育むことが極めて重要だと再三強調する。また，十代の青少年は身体の発達が著しい発達段階にある。毎晩最低8時間は眠り，食事も栄養バランスのとれたものを1日3食きちんと食べるようにと，医学的・栄養学的な助言も積極的にしている。本書には，青少年の自殺予防だけでなく，青年期の子どもを自殺で亡くした親のグリーフワークの章が設けられている。著者は前書きでこの章を大々的に宣伝している。しかし，実際はキューブラー＝ロスの死を受容する5段階モデルが簡単に述べられている程度の内容で，残念ながら物足りない。本書を通暁して痛感したことがある。よく，｢わが国では未だに自傷や自殺がタブーされたり，誤解されたりしている｣と聞く。しかし，英国の自傷行為や自殺企図を取り巻く環境もそんなによいわけではない。そして，わが国ではこの分野のまともな本が案外古くからたくさんあるものだ，と。