Self-Inflicted Injuries On The Rise In Teens And Young Adults

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There is no doubt that our teens and young adults are under greater pressure now than perhaps they have been in decades.

We are beginning to see some of the signs, according to new information from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, that the rate of self-inflicted injuries in girls between the ages of 10 and 14 has increased significantly in the last 10 years.

The information is based on data from over 43,000 emergency room visits.

This is particularly important, not just because self-inflicted injuries can be problematic, but because self-inflicted injury is one of the strongest risk factors for suicide, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death among those aged 10-24.

The most common method of self-inflicted injuries for females was poisoning, followed by the use of sharp objects.