Stephen Lewis, PhD, from the University of Guelph in Canada and Immediate Past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) discusses the state of health information about self-injury on the internet and addresses the risks and benefits of seeking self-injury and self-harm content online.
What is the quality of online health information related to self-injury and self-harm? What are some of the risks and benefits related to seeking self-injury content on the internet? In this episode, Dr. Lewis details 3 overarching risks and 4 overarching benefits of accessing self-injury content online. He also discusses his research related to the effects of hopeless vs. hopeful comments on YouTube videos about self-injury.
To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8. Learn more about self-injury and Dr. Lewis' work at Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) (http://sioutreach.org/). Follow SiOS on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sioutreach) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/sioutreach). Below are links to his research and resources referenced in this episode:
Non-suicidal self-injury, youth, and the Internet: What mental health professionals need to know
The Scope of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on YouTube
Self-Injury Resources:
Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS).