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It is sad news - the number of boys being admitted to hospital for self-harming is at an all time high.

Admissions of boys aged ten to 14 have soared by over 30 per cent over the past five years increasing from 454 in 2009/2010 to 659 in 2013/14.

The statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show an increase in hospital admissions nearly every year in the five years.

Boys are clearly suffering in silence but is it any surprise when they are so pigeonholed into having to behave in certain ways?

While a path has been forged for young girls to take part in typically 'boy' behaviour and activities - football and Scouting being examples that jump to my mind - the same cannot be said for boys.

Boys are expected to act tough even when they are scared or upset while we encourage girls to express their emotions to us, to their teacher or to their friends.

On a few occasions I have cringed overhearing parents calling their sons wuss, sissy or even gay if they dare to cry or complain of another child is bullying them.

What kind of message does that send out?

What happens to those feelings of anger or fear or upset when they are not allowed to be shown.

Boys don't cry they are told - they worry they will be seen as weak so they bottle it up.

How many other parents have seen their son explode at the smallest thing only to find there is an underlying problem acting as a catalyst.

We expect them to play rough, to want to destroy rather than create - boys will be boys as the saying goes.

But what we are obviously not giving them is the chance to break out from these stereotypes.

Nobody would blink an eye if a girl pulled on shin pads and football boots but it would take a brave boy to walk down the street in a princess dress or dressed for ballet.

It is probably important to mention that suicide is the single biggest killer of death in men aged 20 to 49 in England and Wales with men accounting for 78 per cent of all suicides in the UK.

Suicide is, of course, an extremely complex issue but surely we would give young boys a fighting chance by at least allowing them to express themselves in any way they wish.

The battle to breakdown stereotypes for boys must be seen as important as breaking down stereotypes for women.

Boys need to be allowed to express their emotions - by parents, peers or teachers.

It isn't going to improve overnight but surely we must start somewhere.
To contact Samaritans call 08457 90 90 90. Line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. (call charges apply)

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It is sad news - the number of boys being admitted to hospital for self-harming is at an all time high. Admissions of boys aged ten to 14 have soared by over 30 per cent over the past five years increasing from 454 in 2009/2010 to 659 in 2013/14.

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Do girls have a more difficult time growing up than boys?

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Debate.org is a dynamic social community where you can voice your opinion on today's hottest issues.

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GIRLS have a much harder life than GUYS.

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GIRLS have a much harder life than GUYS.

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Women don't get taken serious like men do. Women have to let you know they are not to be played with. Men automatically come off as hard, tough and not to be played with.

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5 steps to the writing process

Prewriting: In the pre-writing section you do 3 things. Find your idea,build your idea, also plan and structure. Finding an idea can be simple because they are all around you. "Your own imagination is the only limit to finding your source of the inspiration". Building your idea can be if you free write. Plan and structure is just the rough draft.

Writing: You can not worry about grammar and spelling this part is just your first draft. Make this a regular part of your day.

Revision: With revision using A.R.R.R is a great strategy (add,rearrange,remove,and replace). The average novel has 60,000 to 100,000 words. Consider the flow, pacing and sequencing of your story. You may need to eliminate passages that don't quite fit. If something doesn't fit rewrite it or replace it.

Editing: Check for repetition,clarity,grammar,spelling, and punctuation. Editing is an extremely important detailed process.

Publishing: You have now a complete manuscript ready to publish and put out.

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Is life Harder for Men then Women Today?

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Debate.org is a dynamic social community where you can voice your opinion on today's hottest issues.