There's been a rise in teenage girls deliberately poisoning themselves as a type of self-harm, say doctors.

Figures seen by Newsbeat show the number of 13 to 19-year-olds admitted to emergency departments across England and Wales has risen by around a third in five years.

There were nearly 18,500 admissions in 2014/15.

One girl, who says she has self-poisoned 15 times, described it is "like an addiction".

What is self-poisoning?

It is a type of self-harm, which normally happens if someone is depressed or anxious.

2009/10 = 14,000



2014/15 = 18,500

Doctors say people tend to cut themselves as a way of trying to cope with difficulty in their lives, while self-poisoning can happen to those who feel they can no longer cope.

If someone deliberately poisons themselves, it does not always mean they are trying to end their life.

BBC Advice has more information and links to support for self-harm.

Lily's story

"Lily" is 15 and does not go to school, hang out with friends or have her own money.

She barely leaves her house, unless she is with her family, because she is scared about what she will do if she is left alone.

"I know as soon as I go out I will do something silly," she explains. "If I saw a box of tablets, I would take them."

What do the new figures show?

Figures pulled together exclusively for Newsbeat show there were nearly 18,500 hospital admissions of girls aged 13-19 in 2014/15, compared to 14,000 five years earlier.

Data provided by England's Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Welsh government show that in the same time period the number of male admissions fluctuated around 4,000.

Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were not available.

Why is this happening?

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has told Newsbeat a change in how hospitals record self-harm admissions in 2013 may have contributed to the rise in numbers.

However, it says the increase in people deliberately poisoning themselves is "very real", particularly among girls aged 14 to 16, and there will be more many more cases because "many suffer in silence".

2009/10 = 4,200



2014/15 = 4,000

Dr Andrew Hill-Smith, a spokesman for the college, said that increasing pressure from things like exams, social standing, appearance and sexuality may have led to "stronger expressions of distress".

He says these pressures are "most keenly felt and expressed by females", which could explain why the rate of self-poisoning is three-to-four higher compared to males.

"The rise is probably a combination of increased need, an increase in raising concerns and an increased willingness to seek help," Dr Hill-Smith explains.

"Stigma and hiding things away is a big problem, being able to communicate and find solutions is so important."

What is being done to help?

The government announced last year that it will invest an extra £1.25bn into mental health services for young people and doctors say the impact of that money is now starting to be felt in frontline services.

They have also stressed the importance of things like communities, schools and GPs being aware of the problem and making sure it is as easy as possible for survivors to talk about it.

Doctors also want more research into the causes of self-poisoning, particularly looking at any role played by social media.

What are the dangers?

According to NHS Choices, the symptoms of poisoning will depend on the type of poison and the amount taken in, but general things to look out for include:

Vomiting

Stomach pains

Confusion

Drowsiness and fainting fits

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