Management of self-harm in adolescents involves conducting a psychosocial assessment, developing a care plan, and considering psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) adapted for adolescents, especially for those with frequent episodes or emotional dysregulation difficulties NICE CKS,NICE NG225.
In adolescents, it is important to involve family and carers in developing safety plans and providing support, and to ensure multidisciplinary collaboration, including specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) NICE CKS,NICE NG225.
For adults, management includes offering structured psychological interventions, typically between 4 and 10 sessions, tailored to individual needs, and may involve problem-solving therapy or CBT-informed approaches NICE NG225.
Harm minimisation strategies may be discussed with adults who are engaged in ongoing care but are not yet able to resist self-harm urges, ensuring these are collaborative and part of a recovery-focused approach NICE NG225.
In both groups, referral to mental health services and psychosocial assessment are priorities, but in adolescents, there is a greater emphasis on involving family, safeguarding, and age-appropriate multidisciplinary care NICE CKS,NICE NG225.