Coping with psychotic-like experiences without receiving help from mental health care. A qualitative study

Boumans, Jenny; Baart, Ingrid; Widdershoven, Guy; Kroon, Hans

doi:10.1080/17522439.2016.1178798

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…A previous study investigating the experiences of people with psychotic symptoms not accessing mental health services 9 found themes relating to self-care and the importance of underlying explanatory frameworks. Similarly, two themes in this study centre on the importance of individuals' positive perceptions of their experiences and finding a meaningful explanation.…”

Section: Summary Of the Results And Comparison Against The Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous literature exploring the views of people with psychotic-like experiences who do not seek support from mental health services is scarce. To our knowledge, one prior study conducted by Boumans et al 9 documented two key factors in maintaining well-being without having to access mental health services: personalised self-care and adoption of interpretive frameworks (in order to fully make sense of psychotic experiences).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Living with Psychosis without Mental Health Services: A Narrative Interview Study

et al. 2021

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ObjectivesLittle research has looked at how people who do not use mental health services experience psychosis. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the experiences and views of people with psychosis who have neither sought nor received support from mental health services for at least 5 years.DesignA narrative interview study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.SettingEngland.ParticipantsTwenty-eight participants with self-defined psychotic experiences were asked to provide a free narrative about their experiences.ResultsFive themes were identified: (1) Perceiving psychosis as positive; (2) Making sense of psychotic experiences as a more active psychological process to find explanations and meaning; (3) Finding sources of strength, mainly in relationships and the environment, but outside of services; (4) Negative past experiences of mental health services, leading to disengagement and (5) Positive past experiences with individual clinicians, as an appreciation of individuals despite negative views of services as a whole.ConclusionsPerceiving psychosis as something positive, a process of making sense of psychotic experiences and the ability to find external sources of strength all underpin—in addition to negative experiences with services—a choice to live with psychosis outside of services. Future research may explore to what extent these perceptions, psychological processes and abilities can be facilitated and strengthened, in order to support those people with psychosis who do not seek treatment and possibly also some of those who are in treatment.

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Section: Summary Of the Results And Comparison Against The Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Living with Psychosis without Mental Health Services: A Narrative Interview Study

et al. 2021

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“…In a study of 22 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Harrison et al (2008) found half of the participants understood their experiences as having mystical or religious significance rather than a pathological cause. Similarly, Boumans et al (2017) considered the experiences of individuals experiencing 'psychotic like symptoms' including hallucinations, with only half of the participants considering their experiences as linked to mental illness. Other participants gave meaning to their experiences by using interpretive frameworks related to stress vulnerability, psychic/spiritual meaning, and the use of voice hearing as a defence mechanism in relation to social or psychological problems.…”

Section: Making Sense Of Voice Hearingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Others may connect with the spiritual meaning of the voices, considering their power to do as "an ability not a disability" (Boumans et al 2017, 8). Hearing voices is also reported to serve an important function for some in combatting social factors such as loneliness, becoming a solution to the problem rather than the problem itself (Boumans et al 2017). So, is voice hearing normal?…”

Section: Making Sense Of Voice Hearingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health: working with people who hear voices

Ford

Watson

2019

Br J Nurs

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“…About 3-19% (median 13%) of the general population has heard one or more voices during their lifetime (1)(2)(3). Some people are not bothered by the voice(s) they hear and, sometimes, even see them as helpful (4,5). However, some people suffer greatly from hearing voices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Processes Within Peer-Support Hearing Voices Groups: A Qualitative Study in the Dutch Context

Schaefer

Boumans

et al. 2021

Front. Psychiatry

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Purpose/Aims: This study aimed to gain insight into the value of Hearing Voices Groups (HVGs) in the Dutch context. Specifically, we aimed to learn more about the meaning of HVG participation, as well as the aspects that contribute to that meaning, from the perspective of participants' experiences.Method: The study used a qualitative design with in-depth interviews to explore the experiences of 30 members within seven HVGs in the Netherlands. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using interpretative analysis inspired by the Grounded Theory method.Findings: The individual-level analysis revealed four different group processes that appear to determine the value that HVGs have for their participants: (i) peer-to-peer validation, (ii) exchanging information and sharing self-accumulated knowledge, (iii) connection and social support, and (iv) engaging in mutual self-reflection. We found that specific characteristics of HVGs facilitate these group processes and lead to specific personal outcomes. Combining the interview data from people who joined the same HVG reveals that, although all four described group processes occur in all groups, each group's emphasis differs. Three related factors are described: (i) the composition of the group, (ii) the style of the facilitators, and (iii) the interaction between group processes and individual processes.Implications: Unique processes, for which there is little to no place within regular mental health care (MHC), occur within HVGs. MHC professionals should be more aware of the opportunities HVG can offer voice-hearers. Essential matters regarding the implementation of HVGs are discussed.

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Coping with psychotic-like experiences without receiving help from mental health care. A qualitative study

Cited by 10 publications

References 18 publications

Living with Psychosis without Mental Health Services: A Narrative Interview Study

Living with Psychosis without Mental Health Services: A Narrative Interview Study

Mental health: working with people who hear voices

Emerging Processes Within Peer-Support Hearing Voices Groups: A Qualitative Study in the Dutch Context

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