گذر از محدودیت ها: درک خودآسیبی در یک جمعیت غیر بالینی

Abstract This study investigates 122 people's descriptions of their self-harm experiences using thematic analysis. Analysis revealed four themes: What counts as self-harm, What leads to self-harm, Intentions and Managing stigma. Our participants challenged commonly accepted understandings in terms of method, outcome and intentions. Several difficulties associated with discriminating between suicidal and non-suicidal self-harm were highlighted, which may be important in clinical practice. Few participants mentioned diagnosed psychiatric disorders; they best understood self-harm through their social experiences. Focusing on social understandings of self-harm may help reduce associated stigma and barriers to help-seeking. SELF-HARM IS a public health problem thought to be on the rise (Fortune and Hawton, 2005 and Klonsky, 2007). It is considered a predominately female behaviour and more common in young people than in other age groups (Clarke and Whittaker, 1998 and Schmidtke et al., 2004). In Bærum, Norway, rates of hospital treated deliberate self-harm were estimated to be around 200 per 100,000 for female adolescents and less than 50 per 100,000 for male adolescents in 2006 (Dieserud, Gerhardsen, Van den Weghe, & Corbett, 2010). Self-reported lifetime self-harm in a Norwegian non-clinical adult sample was around 4% (Hjelmeland & Knizek, 2010), although the rate among adolescents is higher (Ystgaard, Reinholdt, Husby, & Mehlum, 2003). As well as by gender and age, rates also vary with the definition of self-harm used. The current study uses thematic analysis to explore how young adults in the general population who have self-harmed describe their experiences.

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