Examining the disclosure of nonsuicidal self-injury to informal and formal sources: A review of the literature

Exposure to Self-Directed Violence: Understanding Intention to Help and Helping Behaviors among Adolescents and Emerging Adults

“…Exposure to SDV has been explored in several ways. One is research on disclosure, a body of work that focuses on people who attempt suicide and whether they seek help or tell others about their intent [7][8][9][10][11][12]. For example, some findings show that disclosure to parents facilitates help-seeking and coping but that while peers are perceived as supportive, disclosure to peers may decrease social support over time [12].…”

“…One is research on disclosure, a body of work that focuses on people who attempt suicide and whether they seek help or tell others about their intent [7][8][9][10][11][12]. For example, some findings show that disclosure to parents facilitates help-seeking and coping but that while peers are perceived as supportive, disclosure to peers may decrease social support over time [12]. Another body of work seeks to understand suicide survivorship and the impact of knowing someone who died by suicide [13] in order to provide response resources and service to support, especially those who were strongly affected by a loss.…”

“What I couldn’t do before, I can do now”: Narrations of agentic shifts and psychological growth by young adults reporting discontinuation of self-injury since adolescence

“…One may also utilize interpersonal strategies, such as seeking emotional support from family, friends, or healthcare professionals (Kool et al, 2009 ; Tofthagen et al, 2017 ). A recent literature review found that, among those who use relational resources to discontinue NSSI, informal networks including friends and family are generally preferred over formal sources such as healthcare or social workers (Simone & Hamza, 2020 ). Yet, even among individuals who sought formal support, some found clinical interventions unhelpful or of little significance in the actual process of discontinuing NSSI (Kelada et al, 2018 ; Rissanen et al, 2013 ; Whitlock et al, 2015 ), whereas others found it actively hurtful or damaging to their mental health (Long, 2018 ).…”

A longitudinal examination of predictors of nonsuicidal self‐injury disclosures among university students

“…In a recent review synthesizing findings on the disclosure of NSSI, it was found that only about a half of individuals who engage in NSSI voluntarily tell others about their behavior, suggesting this behavior is often concealed (Simone & Hamza, 2020). Literature on the disclosure of NSSI in the postsecondary context was particularly scant, with only three studies examining the prevalence of NSSI disclosure rates amongst postsecondary students (Armiento et al, 2014; Whitlock et al, 2015; Wilcox et al, 2012).…”

“…The disclosure of NSSI to formal sources, including health and mental health professionals, is consistently reportedly lower than disclosures to informal sources, especially when considering first disclosures (Ammerman & Wilcox et al, 2021). This may be due to lack of access to care providers relative to peers and family members, greater comfort with peers and loved ones, and a reluctance to be labeled as mentally unwell by health professionals (Long, 2018; Simone & Hamza, 2020). It is also possible that individuals may disclose to loved ones to relieve the burden of carrying a substantial secret, find like‐minded peers, or evoke care, support, and empathy, rather than for purposes of help‐seeking which may be more likely directed to formal sources.…”