The increase in incidents of self-harm among adolescents and young people in Greece is a cause for concern, with figures showing that 17.6% of young people have engaged in some form of self-harm.

Experts point out that serious mental health difficulties lie behind the phenomenon, highlighting the need for early support and intervention.

Self-harm is the infliction of physical harm or pain on oneself in times of mental distress, emptiness, anger and other unpleasant emotions that the person is unable to cope with or deal with in appropriate ways. Self-harm is not necessarily associated with suicide attempts, but is often a form of communicating mental distress and a plea for help.

The elements (MARC, Demographic Survey 2025) reflect a phenomenon of considerable scope and multifaceted impact on the daily lives of young people:

  • 17.6%of 17-24 year olds report self-harming or having self-harmed

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  • 20.3%of girls self-harm – girls appear significantly more vulnerable
  • 55.5%of cases begin before the age of 16, highlighting early adolescence as a critical window of intervention

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  • 67.2%of young people who self-harm have a negative self-image – emotional dysregulation and negative self-concept are at the core of the phenomenon
  • 62.7% have difficulty expressing themselves emotionally, which increases their vulnerability

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  • 72.2%report that self-harm affects their self-esteem, relationships and daily functioning

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  • 68.4%disclose incidents mainly to friends – not to parents or professionals
  • Only 1 in 5 parents know that their child is self-harming and have discussed it with them

This data highlights a double gap: on the one hand, disclosure takes place predominantly in the friendly rather than the family or professional context, and on the other hand, the majority of parents remain unaware. The lack of information combined with limited specialist services has so far led to many young people and their families being left without adequate support.

Objectives and intervention structure:

The project aims to promote the mental health and well-being of young people, provide evidence-based therapeutic intervention, train health and mental health professionals, destigmatise the phenomenon through wider awareness-raising activities – including through the arts – and use digital tools to provide tele-psychiatric support in remote areas.

Model Community Center for Youth Mental Health:

At the heart of the program’s operational structure is the Model Community Center for Youth Mental Health (17-24 years old), which operates in Athens and provides free, comprehensive prevention, diagnosis, support and treatment services. Services include individual and group psychoanalytic psychotherapy, psycho-educational and psychotherapeutic family intervention, parent support groups, art therapies, and tele-conferencing support for young people outside of Athens. The Center also has a modern information system for case tracking and interfacing with other public mental health facilities, and implements trainings for professionals through e–learning to enhance early identification and referral capacity.

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