Exploring the Use of an Online Peer Support Community for Self-Harm

Background: Self-harm is a common problem that affects people across the lifespan. Many people who self-harm face barriers in help-seeking for self-harm and turn to the internet for support. However, there are current political discussions of the harms of accessing content related to self-harm online. Online peer support plays a significant, yet misunderstood role in the lives of adults who self-harm and there is a lack of research into the experiences of online peer support in adults. Aim: This thesis aimed to explore the use of an online peer support community for adults who self-harm. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants who were members of an online peer support community for self-harm. Interviews were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Results: Seven main themes were identified; three related to experiences and hopes before joining the group - Exclusion, Being in Control of Interactions and Seeking Validation of Distress – and four related to consequences and experiences of joining - Maintaining the Hidden self, Cultivating a Mutual Understanding of Self-harm, The Emotional Burden of Peer Support and Online-Offline Interaction. Discussion: This study provides an original contribution to knowledge around the experiences of online peer support for adults who self-harm. Online peer support met specific needs for adults, enabling them to receive support for self-harm that could not otherwise be met in the offline world. Members sought online peer support due to experiences of exclusion offline, the online community enabled them able to seek support in a way that felt safe and validating. Membership of online peer support also had unintended consequences, both positive and negative. Clinicians need to explore with adults who self-harm what use they make of social media and how they experience that use. Future research may explore the experiences of men and of less frequently included groups and evaluate the impact of more open engagement of clinical services with social media related to self-harm.