title: Professional Care as an Option Prior to Self-Harm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a growing problem among young people and is a major risk factor for suicide. Young adults experiencing mental distress and suicidal ideation are reluctant to seek help, requiring new strategies to reach this group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study explored young people's views of professional care before first contact for DSH, and factors that influenced the establishing of contact.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews with 10 young individuals, shortly after they had harmed themselves, were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants emphasized the importance of receiving more knowledge on where to turn, having different help-seeking options, and receiving immediate help. Family and friends were vital for support and making health care contact. The quality of the professional contact was stressed. Several reasons for not communicating distress were mentioned. Two themes were identified: "A need for a more flexible, available and varied health care" and "A struggle to be independent and yet being in need of reliable support."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that easy and direct access to professional help is a decisive factor for young people experiencing psychological problems and that health services must find new ways of communicating information on seeking mental health help.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Idenfors
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kullgren
authors.forename: Ellinor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salander Renberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: deliberate self-harm; help-seeking; qualitative; young people's experiences