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In light of Suicide Prevention Month, The Oklahoma Poison Center warns of increasing incidence of self-harm attempts in recent years in the state of Oklahoma. There has been a growing trend of self-harm ingestions in the adolescent population, which is particularly concerning. Over the course of 28 months (May 2021 through August 2023), there have been a total of 2,833 intentional self-harm ingestions reported to the Oklahoma Poison Center in adolescents aged 12-18 years, 80% of the self-harm ingestions reported were among females. (See data below) While the types of medication taken varied, many included over the counter (OTC) pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, which are available without a prescription. These medicines are common in most households, and the accessibility can make them easy to take in large amounts. Kristie Edelen, Managing Director of the Oklahoma Poison Center, says “Seeing an increase in the number of cases and the severity of exposures is concerning. Many people don’t know that taking too much of an OTC pain reliever can have life-threatening consequences.”
