Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults
Adults ( n = 25) completed online free text boxes about their self-harming behaviour. Thematic analysis identified three dominant themes: ‘managing the private self’, ‘managing the public self’ and ‘moving on’. Transcending these themes was the notion of thresholds of change. Self-harm enables peop...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2015-09-01
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| Series: | Health Psychology Open |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102915605987 |
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Article |
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doaj-49dd1428e57e4adfa7290ded9b1491862020-11-25T02:52:30ZengSAGE PublishingHealth Psychology Open2055-10292015-09-01210.1177/205510291560598710.1177_2055102915605987Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adultsJane OgdenAlice BennettAdults ( n = 25) completed online free text boxes about their self-harming behaviour. Thematic analysis identified three dominant themes: ‘managing the private self’, ‘managing the public self’ and ‘moving on’. Transcending these themes was the notion of thresholds of change. Self-harm enables people to manage both their private and public selves. When thresholds of change are surpassed, the public self communicates a need for help. Self-harm exists within a precarious balance of well-being and can be a form of self-care. Help seeking is instigated when this balance is disrupted and continued if it offers a better form of self-management than the individual’s own self-harming behaviour.https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102915605987 |
| collection |
DOAJ |
| language |
English |
| format |
Article |
| sources |
DOAJ |
| author |
Jane Ogden Alice Bennett |
| spellingShingle |
Jane Ogden Alice Bennett Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults Health Psychology Open |
| author_facet |
Jane Ogden Alice Bennett |
| author_sort |
Jane Ogden |
| title |
Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| title_short |
Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| title_full |
Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| title_fullStr |
Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: A qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| title_sort |
self-harm as a means to manage the public and private selves: a qualitative study of help seeking by adults |
| publisher |
SAGE Publishing |
| series |
Health Psychology Open |
| issn |
2055-1029 |
| publishDate |
2015-09-01 |
| description |
Adults ( n = 25) completed online free text boxes about their self-harming behaviour. Thematic analysis identified three dominant themes: ‘managing the private self’, ‘managing the public self’ and ‘moving on’. Transcending these themes was the notion of thresholds of change. Self-harm enables people to manage both their private and public selves. When thresholds of change are surpassed, the public self communicates a need for help. Self-harm exists within a precarious balance of well-being and can be a form of self-care. Help seeking is instigated when this balance is disrupted and continued if it offers a better form of self-management than the individual’s own self-harming behaviour. |
| url |
https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102915605987 |
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