165% rise in teens at Pieta House for self-harm

Pieta House has revealed it has experienced a 165% increase in the number of young people, aged under 18, attending its services over the past five years due to self-harm.

The organisation’s director of research Dr Paul Surgenor said the increase in the figures up to the end of last year could actually be seen as a positive development as it indicated more people were coming forward to get help.

Pieta House operates a number of services to assist people who self-harm or with suicidal ideation and was co-organiser of a conference held at the Aviva Stadium yesterday on the subject of self-harm, alongside St Patrick’s Mental Health Services.