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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pegasus on August 10, 2006, at 14:19:51
A few months ago I had an interview with a woman who was studying people who had overcome SI for a Master's thesis. I posted on babble about it. (Now, I have to say that I don't think I've overcome it. But at the time I did fit her criteria, which is that you haven't SI-ed for at least a year. Unfortunately, that didn't last, but that's another story.)
So, the other day, I got her thesis. Totally weird and cool to see myself quoted (under a pseudonym, of course) in there. I feel so heard!
So, here are some nutshell results:
Findings
- People who SI have unique relationships to their SI, and it's hard to find generalizations for how they stop.
- Everyone in the study cited important relationships as being critical in their work to stop SI. Sometimes in terms of wanting to please or not hurt another person, and sometimes in terms of logistically making it harder to SI. Lots of people also mentioned important relationships as triggering the start of SI.
- Lots of people had ambivalence about stopping SI, even after having stopped.
- Looking at self-injury through the lens of addiction may, for some people, be a helpful way of understanding self-injury.
- Everyone cited shame and isolation about SI.
- Lots of people talked about SI in terms of communication or expression of strong feelings.Clinical Implications
- Understanding the meaning that SI has for the individual is critical in determining the best way to help.
- Therapy for SI must be relationship-centered (helping create positive relationships).
- Addiction related techniques, such as motivational interviewing, may be helpful in stopping SI.
- Therapy for SI must create a normalizing environment.
- Contact with other self injurers is very helpful. (other people mentioned online groups)
- Therapy for individuals who self-injure should focus on helping clients find alternative ways to communicate their feelings and pain
- Treatment that focuses solely on self-injury might not be as helpful or effective as treatment that focuses on helping the client foster more global changes in his or her life.What do you guys think?
Peg
Posted by Racer on August 10, 2006, at 19:59:32
In reply to research results of SI came back, posted by pegasus on August 10, 2006, at 14:19:51
That's so cool. Both that you did that, and that you got the results back and shared them here.
(Well, you asked what I thought...)
It also struck me that most of that would also apply to eating disorders. Especially the addiction model, and some of the treatment issues. (Like communicating? One of the catch phrases you hear a lot with EDs is "Use Your Voice!" Don't communicate distress through your body. Same sort of thing, huh?)
Beyond that, I'm too tired to think...
Posted by muffled on August 14, 2006, at 13:45:38
In reply to Re: research results of SI came back, posted by Racer on August 10, 2006, at 19:59:32
Cool, thanks for posting it for us P.
Posted by cubic_me on August 17, 2006, at 11:28:42
In reply to research results of SI came back, posted by pegasus on August 10, 2006, at 14:19:51
Thanks for posting those results. I took part in a study last year that is about to be published - it focuses on how similar si is to addiction. I'll post a summary when those results come out.
I've just agreed to take part in further studies too.
Posted by pegasus on August 17, 2006, at 22:20:56
In reply to Re: research results of SI came back » pegasus, posted by cubic_me on August 17, 2006, at 11:28:42
Hey, cool! It makes sense to me. Although I also think that it's not a perfect analogy. Let us know what the study says, ok?
peg
This is the end of the thread.
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