scholarly journals Balancing between discourses of pathology and normality: biographical practice of autoaggression. The case of self-harm

Inter ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 77-96
Author(s):  
Oxana R. Mikhaylova
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Cultural Discourses ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Self Mutilation ◽  
The Status ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Health Communities

In this article, the construction of the biographical identity of self-harmer who belongs to the online self-injurers community in Russian social network “Vkontakte” is analyzed. We applied a poststructuralist sociological approach to self-harm, this supposed viewing self-injury as a center of discursive struggles between different social actors and institutions. Our goal was to understand how self-harming person positions herself concerning diverse cultural discourses. We wanted to identify not only the patterns of biographical work but also the place of self-mutilation in the narrative. Before the interview we analyzed the discourse of the online community to which the informant belonged, we based our guide on the literature review and the results of discourse analysis. The sequential and thematic analyses were employed to investigate the interview data. As a result of our analysis, we identified the existence of normalizing and pathologizing discourses in the narrative and the ability of discursive influence to be differently included in the narrative (on the language and logic levels). Furthermore, we came up with methodological suggestions for further studies of the Russian online self-harm communities. The discussion of the biographical structure of self-harmer and the self-injury representations in it could become part of the discussion on the status of online mental health communities that exists among social scientists. This article also helps to illustrate the ability to combine the sociological and psychological optics in the studies of mental health.

scholarly journals Causal Factors of Effective Psychosocial Outcomes in Online Mental Health Communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koustuv Saha ◽  
Amit Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Psychosocial Outcomes ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
Mental Health Distress ◽  
And Control

Online mental health communities enable people to seek and provide support, and growing evidence shows the efficacy of community participation to cope with mental health distress. However, what factors of peer support lead to favorable psychosocial outcomes for individuals is less clear. Using a dataset of over 300K posts by ∼39K individuals on an online community TalkLife, we present a study to investigate the effect of several factors, such as adaptability, diversity, immediacy, and the nature of support. Unlike typical causal studies that focus on the effect of each treatment, we focus on the outcome and address the reverse causal question of identifying treatments that may have led to the outcome, drawing on case-control studies in epidemiology. Specifically, we define the outcome as an aggregate of affective, behavioral, and cognitive psychosocial change and identify Case (most improved) and Control (least improved) cohorts of individuals. Considering responses from peers as treatments, we evaluate the differences in the responses received by Case and Control, per matched clusters of similar individuals. We find that effective support includes complex language factors such as diversity, adaptability, and style, but simple indicators such as quantity and immediacy are not causally relevant. Our work bears methodological and design implications for online mental health platforms, and has the potential to guide suggestive interventions for peer supporters on these platforms.

scholarly journals Why Do Users of Online Mental Health Communities Get Likes and Reposts: A Combination of Text Mining and Empirical Analysis

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1133
Author(s):  
Jingfang Liu ◽  
Jun Kong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Text Mining ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Social Experience ◽  
Adoption Model ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
Information Adoption

An online community is one of the important ways for people with mental disorders to receive assistance and obtain support. This study aims to help users with mental disorders to obtain more support and communication through online communities, and to provide community managers with the possible influence mechanisms based on the information adoption model. We obtained a total of 49,047 posts of an online mental health communities in China, over a 40-day period. Then we used a combination of text mining and empirical analysis. Topic and sentiment analysis were used to derive the key variables—the topic of posts that the users care about most, and the emotion scores contained in posts. We then constructed a theoretical model based on the information adoption model. As core independent variables of information quality, on online mental health communities, the topic of social experience in posts (0.368 ***), the topic of emotional expression (0.353 ***), and the sentiment contained in the text (0.002 *) all had significant positive relationships with the number of likes and reposts. This study found that the users of online mental health communities are more attentive to the topics of social experience and emotional expressions, while they also care about the non-linguistic information. This study highlights the importance of helping community users to post on community-related topics, and gives administrators possible ways to help users gain the communication and support they need.

Psychiatry

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawan Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Patient ◽  
Self Mutilation ◽  
Cry For Help ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Health Expert ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Mental Health Expert ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Suicidal Patients

It is estimated that 1 in 4 people in a year will have some kind of mental health problem, and that mixed anxiety and depression is the most common disorder in the UK. There is an increasing number of mental health patients attending the ED, and a new FY doctor in the ED will encounter such patients from their first shift onwards. The approach to a mental health patient is only marginally different from the approach to those presenting under other specialties. The assessment largely depends on careful history taking and attentively listening to the patient’s narrative. There are only a few situations in psychiatry in which a physical examination and investigations are required in the ED to make a diagnosis. As it would not be possible to cover all the areas of psychiatry which come through the doors of the ED in one chapter, only a few questions have been included here to provide a flavour of the common psychiatric situations that FY1/2s may come across in their early training period. The UK has the highest rate of self-harm in Europe and so one of the most important points is to recognize suicidal patients who can harm themselves seriously and manage them appropriately. If such patients are discharged following an inadequate assessment, they may go on to commit suicide and the attending doctors would have missed the opportunity to support and save them. In this category of patients, when they present to the ED, no matter how minimal is the level of their self-mutilation, it is a serious ‘cry’ for help. Our job is to listen to the patient and support them with the maximum help we can provide. As it may be difficult to occasionally get to the bottom of the problem, particularly within the time constraints in the ED, a low level of suspicion should be kept to ask for the assistance of the mental health expert. Self-harm and depression go almost hand in hand. The suicidal rate is higher in depressed patients than in the general population.

scholarly journals Pesticide Practices and Suicide among Farmers of the Sundarban Region in India

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2_suppl2) ◽  
pp. S381-S391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arabinda N. Chowdhury ◽  
Sohini Banerjee ◽  
Arabinda Brahma ◽  
M. G. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Pesticide Poisoning ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Self Harm

Background Deliberate self-poisoning by ingesting pesticides is a serious health problem among farmers, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Preventing these suicides is a priority for a public mental health agenda. Objective To examine the role of pesticide poisoning in suicide and nonfatal deliberate self-harm, and clarify awareness of risks, safe practices concerning storage and use of pesticides, and associated self-injury, both unintentional and intentional, within farmer households of the Sundarban region, India. Methods Retrospective record review of adult cases of deliberate self-poisoning at the Block Primary Health Centres of 13 Sundarban Blocks was performed to analyze the relative roles of various methods of self-harm and their lethality. Focus group discussions, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews were undertaken in a community study of farmer households to examine pesticide-related views and practices, with particular attention to storage, use, and health impact. Results Pesticide poisoning was the most common method of deliberate self-harm in both men and women. Pesticide storage in most households was unsafe and knowledge was inadequate concerning adverse effects of pesticides on health, crops, and the environment. Conclusions An intersectoral approach linking the interests of public health, mental health, and agriculture is well suited to serve the collective interests of all three agendas better than each in isolation. Such an approach is needed to reduce morbidity and mortality from unintentional and intentional self-injury in low-income agricultural communities like those of the Sundarban region.

scholarly journals The Impact of Social Media Platforms on Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-174
Author(s):  
N.A. Polskaya ◽  
D.K. Yakubovskaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

The paper provides a review of studies on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in online social networking. Content characteristics of online self-injury narrative are examined by focusing on such categories as hashtags, images, and comments. Negative and positive aspects of social networks’ impact on the risk of self-injury in adolescent are summarized. The presence of NSSI content online and the ability to communicate on issues relating to self-injury can either improve psychological well-being of the users by increasing their mood and self-acceptance, giving means to receive support from others and get information on mental health resources, or increase the person’s susceptibility to self-injuries by initiating their interest in this subject and reinforcing, and encouraging repeated self-harm. Therefore, mental health professionals are facing a global challenge: to create supportive and helpful online content, which implies the development of a new methodology, including language and terminology, that could integrate existing online discourse on self-injury and transform it from within.

scholarly journals Psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one-month postpartum mothers in a metropolitan area of Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youji Takubo ◽  
Naohisa Tsujino ◽  
Yuri Aikawa ◽  
Kazuyo Fukiya ◽  
Momoko Iwai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Status ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Maternity Health ◽  
Postpartum Mothers ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has recently become the most important issue in the world. Very few reports in Japan have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peripartum mental health. We examined the status of postpartum mental health before and during COVID-19 pandemic from a consecutive database in a metropolitan area of Japan. Methods The subjects were women who had completed a maternity health check-up at a core regional hospital in Yokohama during the period from April 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020. We collected the subjects’ scores for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) at 1 month postpartum. The subjects were divided into four groups (three Before COVID-19 groups and a During COVID-19 group). MANOVA and post-hoc tests were used to determine mental health changes in the postpartum period among the four groups. Results The Before and During COVID-19 groups contained 2844 and 1095 mothers, respectively. There were no significant difference in the total scores of the EPDS and MIBS among the four groups. However, the EPDS items related to anxiety factors were significantly higher and the EPDS items related to anhedonia and depression factors (excluding thoughts of self-harm) were significantly lower in the During COVID-19 group. Conclusion The EPDS scores changed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety, which represent hypervigilance, was significantly higher and anhedonia and depression were significantly lower in the During COVID-19 group. Our results may reflect COVID-19-related health concerns and a lack of social support caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Self-Harm and Homeless Adults

Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 363-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Pluck ◽  
Kwang-Hyuk Lee ◽  
Randolph W. Parks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Admission ◽  
Homeless Adults ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health History ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Mental Health History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Self Harm

Background: Homelessness is associated with an increased incidence of mental illness and risk of self-harm, including suicide. Aims: To assess the prevalence of self-harm (including nonsuicidal self-injury and attempted suicide) among a UK sample of homeless adults and to compare demographic, clinical, and homeless-related variables to determine which are linked to self-harm in this population. Method: A sample of 80 homeless adults were interviewed regarding history of self-harm, mental health history, demographic, and homeless-related information. Results: Sixty-eight percent of the sample reported past acts of self-harm. Those with histories of self-harm started using significantly more substances since becoming homeless and were younger when they first became homeless. They were also significantly more likely to have a past psychiatric admission and thoughts of self-harm in the past year. Conclusion: Self-harm is common among homeless adults and linked to long-term and enduring social and mental health concerns.

scholarly journals Hospital care and repetition following self-harm: Multicentre comparison of self-poisoning and self-injury

2008 ◽  
Vol 192 (6) ◽  
pp. 440-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Lilley ◽  
David Owens ◽  
Judith Horrocks ◽  
Allan House ◽  
Rachael Noble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Hospital Care ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Psychosocial Assessment ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Hospital Services ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Self Harm

BackgroundQuantitative research about self-harm largely deals with self-poisoning, despite the high incidence of self-injury.AimsWe compared patterns of hospital care and repetition associated with self-poisoning and self-injury.MethodDemographic and clinical data were collected in a multicentre, prospective cohort study, involving 10 498 consecutive episodes of self-harm at six English teaching hospitals.ResultsCompared with those who self-poisoned, people who cut themselves were more likely to have self-harmed previously and to have received support from mental health services, but they were far less likely to be admitted to the general hospital or receive a psychosocial assessment. Although only 17% of people repeated self-harm during the 18 months of study, survival analysis that takes account of all episodes revealed a repetition rate of 33% in the year following an episode: 47% after episodes of self-cutting and 31% after self-poisoning (P<0.001). Of those who repeated, a third switched method of self-harm.ConclusionsHospital services offer less to people who have cut themselves, although they are far more likely to repeat, than to those who have self-poisoned. Attendance at hospital should result in psychosocial assessment of needs regardless of method of self-harm.

scholarly journals Self-harm - an overview of the tools used to assess non-suicidal self-harming behaviors

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-359
Author(s):  
Ewelina Drzał-Fiałkiewcz ◽  
Agata Makarewicz ◽  
Mateusz Walczak ◽  
Aleksandra Walczak ◽  
Małgorzta Futyma-Jędrzejewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Self Mutilation ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Assessment Scales

AbstractIntroduction: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is the deliberate injury to one’s own body intended to cause mental or physical harm to oneself. In view of the growing scale of the NSSI, especially among young people without identifying any other psychiatric disorders, the disorder was included in both DSM-5 and ICD10 as independent diagnostic entity. Many etiopathogenetic hypotheses and research tools assessing various aspects of NSSI have been developed.The aim of the work is to present and discuss the most commonly used scales for NSSI assessment.Method: A review of available literature was made using the databases Medline / PubMed, using the key words: “self injury”, “self-mutilation”, “non-suicidal,”, “NSSI”, “self-harm” and time descriptors: 2005-2017Results: Available tools were divided into three groups: I- scale of self-assessment made by the patient, II- assessment made by the clinician, and III- auxiliary scale.Conclusions: None of the available scales covers the complexity of the NSSI phenomenon. For the overall NSSI assessment, several NSSI assessment tools are suggested, taking into account both self-assessment scales and clinical evaluation.

scholarly journals Nurses knowledge and attitudes to individuals who self-harm: A quantitative exploration

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vine J ◽  
Shahwan-Akl L ◽  
Maude P ◽  
Jones LK ◽  
Kimpton A
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
The Body ◽  
Study Phase ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Health Nursing ◽  
Mental Health Nurses ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Health Nursing

Objective: Self-injury can be described as the deliberate destruction of the body without the intent to die, and is a distinct clinical presentation needing to be assessed separately from suicide and para-suicide. Nurses attitude to self-injury is a largely unexplored area particularly within Australia. The aim of this paper is to explore Australian general and mental health nurses’ attitudes towards self-injury taking into account their preparation as registered nurses (RNs) or enrolled nurses (ENs) and length of experience.Methods: This was a mixed methods exploratory design study. Phase one used a combination of two established surveys, the Self-Harm Antipathy Scale (SHAS) and the Attitudes Towards Deliberate Self-Harm Questionnaire (ATDSHQ). Nurses who were either RNs or ENs, mental health educated (MHE) or not, working in the area of mental health or emergency departments (ED) were recruited through a number of professional nursing organisations. A total of 172 nurses completed the phase one online questionnaire. The results of this survey are reported in this paper.Results: The key findings indicated a significant relationship between years of mental health nursing experience and mental health nursing qualification. A significant difference was noted in the knowledge level of self-injury between the mental health nurses who had a greater knowledge compared to those who were not mental health educated. Lastly, the attitudes of nurses to self-injury were generally found to be positive.Conclusions: These results extend much of what is in the literature on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of nurses to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and place these results in an Australian context. Further research to assess the effectiveness of increased education and community engagement should be undertaken.

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