Start, stop, and continue: Preliminary insight into the appeal of self-injury e-communities.
Nonsuicidal self-injury e-communication has gained heightened empirical and public interest. This is the first study to examine possible motives for nonsuicidal self-injury e-communication. A total of 68 nonsuicidal self-injury e-community members responded to open-ended questions concerning reasons for starting, temporarily stopping, and continuing nonsuicidal self-injury e-communication. Results from a thematic analysis indicated that being motivated to obtain support, get nonsuicidal self-injury help, help others, and better understand nonsuicidal self-injury represented motives for starting nonsuicidal self-injury e-communication. For some, negative interactions and accessing triggering material contributed to e-communication stoppage; these individuals continued e-communication to get support and help. Implications for research and e-outreach are discussed.
University of Guelph, Canada stephen.lewis@uoguelph.ca.
Stephen P
SP
Lewis
University of Guelph, Canada.
Natalie J
NJ
Michal
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Internet; adolescence; communication; information; mental illness