Cutting with razor blades, burning and slapping are all forms of self-harm, a medical condition on the increase among young Asian women in Britain. East investigates the disturbing illness in a compelling documentary for BBC 2 presented by Meera Syal.

Humerah started to self-harm when she was 14, "I just thought I'd try out what the razor would feel like cause I just felt so numb, so alone, and pretty desperate…I cut myself quite high up on my arm and I actually quite liked it - it just made me feel something and that was important. It made me feel better."

Humerah believes her condition relates to her background. Her family were targeted by local racists and she was often in the house alone when the troublemakers called. She also had problems at home. She says "I hate myself so much…I know my family don't want me, they told me…I'm a burden to them".

East examines the increase in the number of young Asian women inflicting self harm and looks at the help available to them. Although there are no national statistics on self harm, recent studies show that British Asian girls are three times more likely than their white counterparts to attempt suicide.

Self harm takes many different forms and is believed to be linked to earlier traumas. Some see self harm as a cry for help, or attention seeking but many experts say the reasons behind the condition are far more complex.

Mark O' Neil, a clinical Nurse with The Bethlem Crisis Recovery Unit says, "Self harm is a way of coping. Often people have horrible thoughts or feelings and feel out of control…so self harm can be a way of coping with those and regaining a sense of control in their lives."

Bobbie was brought up by her grandparents and believed her father and uncles were her brothers. She says, "I was very confused because there was some sexual abuse there. But obviously when you're that young five, six, seven, you don't know it's sexual abuse and it was all the business with the secrets and you mustn't tell anybody."

"I felt dirty, I felt I was a jinx. I felt everything was my fault. My mother died because of me. My husband's family didn't like me. My father didn't want me. Nobody wanted me really", she says.

"The pain inside is so strong the only way to deal with it is to bring it outside. So what you do is hurt yourself, it doesn't matter how you hurt yourself…but it brings the pain outside."

Many of the women feel the support and treatment they need is not available for them. Humerah says, "I think I will end up taking my life…I've tried the services and support… they think I'm pulling the wool over their eyes."

Anjum Mouj, chair of The Newham Asian Women's Project says: "We have to let the community know that self harm exists, the more we can talk about it the more we can deal with it…if we simply say stop self harming, we are saying stop coping."

Jo Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Social Services, admits that the health service has failed women like Humerah. She says: "We've made assumptions about the services that maybe we're providing for the white community can easily be accessed or would be suitable for people from different backgrounds. And I think we're recognising now that isn't the case."

For some there is hope. Bobbie has used her experiences to help other Asian women find the care they need. She says: "If I can help the young girls that are going through even a part of what I went through….if I can stop one girl in this life time, stop her from committing suicide or from self harm I would have achieved my life's work."