A book written by experts in the field, its comprehensive coverage touches all the main areas of importance to those needing to understand and respond to one of the most pressing contemporary challenges in public mental health.

As part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library series, this book covers topics such as the nature of self-harm, who it affects, and the reasons for self-harm especially in the young and in females. The important risk factors - individual, interpersonal, and societal - are identified and reviewed. Chapters on how to respond to individuals who self-harm cover the essentials of assessment, self-management, and brief interventions that may require specialist involvement. Population-level approaches to prevention are covered, as is intervention in special settings such as schools and prisons. Modern developments in the online world are also recognized as potential risks but also as potential resources. The challenges for those working in low income settings are acknowledged and discussed.

Each chapter is informed by the latest research while remaining practical in its focus - with the key topics illustrated by real-world examples. While the book is aimed primarily at those working in health or social care, it is written in a style that will be accessible to many other professionals who are likely to encounter self-harm, including those working in education and with young people in community settings. Further reading offers practical guides for the interested professional who wants useful advice in an accessible format.