Paris Jackson and the shocking secret epidemic of young women self-harming

Paris Jackson and the shocking secret epidemic of young women self-harming

Fumbling for a plaster, Natalie Brown unwrapped the dressing and swiftly stemmed the blood flowing from a gash on her thigh.

This was no accidental nick. Locked behind the bathroom door of her family home in Leicestershire, teenager Natalie had administered the cut with a razor blade, deliberately inflicting pain on her young body, as she had done countless times.

Despite the pain, she felt an immediate sense of release and for a few seconds was free from the anxiety overwhelming her.

“My life felt out of my control, but the self-harm was one thing I could control,” says Natalie, “I always made sure I cleaned up perfectly so no one would suspect.

“I quickly associated cutting myself with a way of feeling better if things went bad. But that sensation would last for maybe 30 seconds. Then I would look down and see the blood and feel terrible.”

The UK has the highest number of people who self-harm in Europe, with 220,000 teens and adults each year being treated at A&E departments for injuries they have inflicted on themselves.

Shockingly, it is now the most common reason, other than childbirth, for women to be admitted to hospital for emergency medical treatment – and can affect anyone, from all walks of life.

It’s just a few days since Michael Jackson’s 15-year-old daughter Paris was hospitalised amid rumours that she was self-harming after she appeared to have scars on the inside of her forearms.

But the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ spokeswoman on self-harm and suicide, Dr Alys Cole-King, says: “Unless medical treatment is required, self-harm is not always reported.

"People are embarrassed or scared. They fear they will be judged or misunderstood and that stops them getting help, which makes a real difference to their recovery.”

Natalie, who is now 18 and has stopped, first cut herself at13. She was off school after being bullied and was struggling to deal with the diagnosis of a heart complaint.

She says: “I felt angry, anxious and lonely. I didn’t think I could talk to anyone, so I had to find a way to get my emotions out.

“The first time I just remember feeling very upset and angry. I was in my bathroom, and I grabbed a razor and cut my foot.

"The physical pain seemed to take away my emotional pain. But then moments later, I felt deflated and numb.”

Unbeknown to Natalie’s parents Mary, a factory worker, and builder David, she’d cut herself whenever the sense of isolation and loneliness began to overwhelm her.

She says: “I’d only do it in the shower because it was normal to lock the door. I only cut the top of my thighs because I could hide the scars. I wouldn’t wear short dresses, or I would wear trousers. It became routine.”

A year ago, Natalie was inflicting injuries on herself every day. In September, she finally reached a point where she wanted to change, and linked up with an online support network.

She says: “I wanted my life back. ­Recognising it was time to stop was the first step in my recovery.