Being a teenager can be overwhelming, but for Ashley Taylor, it was the beginning of a deep and confusing pain that she didn’t understand. When Ashley was younger, she engaged in self-harming practices that some may have trouble understanding. She explains that self-harm is an indication of pain in the heart and soul, and as a method kids use to try and escape their suffering. Parents should address it immediately without condemnation and take practical steps to protect their child and create an environment that cultivates healing. Ashley discusses the impact harmful media, particularly secular music, can have on a teenager’s psyche, and how self-harming has the same effect as a drug: teens will always chase the same high they got the first time they experienced it. Thankfully, Ashley heard about salvation through faith via Christian music.
TAKEAWAYS
Parents should be alert for signs of self-harm in their teens and maintain healthy communication with your kids at all times
Some signs include: wearing long sleeves in hot weather, being secretive, dressing differently, and finding sharp objects in their rooms
Lots of modern, secular music can trigger dark and depressing feelings
Most self-harmers will try to hide what they’re doing but simultaneously hope that someone will also find out and help them