Lived experience stories of self-harm may help and reduce stigma

Press release issued: 9 February 2023

Lived experience stories of self-harm may be helpful for those with a history of self-harm but they should reflect a range of personal journeys to encourage relatability and avoid using stigmatising language. People with recent self-harm experience were able to positively engage with lived experiences stories found online, according to a study published in JMIR Mental health.

There are already clear guidelines for publishing self-harm related content safely such as avoiding graphic details which may feel triggering for some people. However, participants in this study noted the importance of a story feeling authentic and not overly sanitised in order to relate to it. Several participants suggested that inclusion of a nonlinear recovery journey, involving challenges and setbacks, helped make a story feel human and real.

Most participants described stories of recovery from self-harm as motivating and empowering. They felt hopeful and were inspired to believe that it might also be possible for them to recover by reading about how others had sought help.

Read the full Bristol Biomedical Research Centre news item

Paper: Winstone L et al. (2023). Investigating How People Who Self-harm Evaluate Web-Based Lived Experience Stories: Focus Group Study. JMIR Mental Health.