Self‐Compassion and Self‐Criticism in Recovery in Psychosis: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Study

Abstract

The internal process of self-to-self relating contributed to 2 maintenance cycles: self-criticism maintained distressing experiences of psychosis and compassionate self-acceptance resulted in empowered action and promoted recovery and growth. The dual process of acceptance and change in relationship to self was central to recovery.

The development of compassionate engagement and action scales for self and others

“…In relation to aspects of our selves we feel ashamed of, self-compassion, can be difficult or resisted [38,48]. Indeed, working on the fears, block and resistances to compassion is central to CFT [40,115] and other therapies [114]. Once intentionality develops, then attention can be attuned to distress/suffering signals (distress sensitivity).…”

“…This will enable researchers to explore the interactions between giving and receiving compassion and their different links with other processes and personal histories [52,87]. Second, there is wide variation in the ways these different flows of compassion are manifested in individuals especially, those with emotional difficulties (for example, an individual who has been abused may have compassion for others, but may be filled with self-loathing and an inability to receive compassion from others that hinders her/his healing [114,115]). Indeed, there is growing evidence that each of these directions of 'compassion flow' have psychological and physiological effects and influence each other [58].…”

“…However, in patients with cancer, it was the affiliate dimensions of self-compassion that significantly predicted lower levels of depressive and stress symptoms, and increased quality of life. In a qualitative study, Waite, et al [115] found that, in recovery from psychosis, self-criticism and self-compassion were linked to two different cycles of outcome. Self-criticism was associated with increasing distress over psychotic experiences, whereas self-compassion was associated with empowerment and growth.…”

Pathways from paranoid conviction to distress: exploring the mediator role of Fears of Compassion in a sample of people with psychosis

“…Braehler et al, 2013;Laithwaite et al, 2009). Self-compassion has been preliminarily shown to be relevant to recovery from psychosis (Waite, Knight, & Lee, 2015). Nevertheless, intervention processes and outcomes may be influenced by problems caused by an overly activated threat-defense system and an underdeveloped soothing system suggested to be present in psychosis (Gumley et al, 2010).…”

Are shame and self‐criticism the path to the pervasive effect of social stress reactivity on social functioning in psychosis?

“…People with psychosis have reported higher levels of self-criticism (Hutton, Kelly, Lowens, Taylor, & Tai, 2013) when compared with non-clinical controls, and these selfcritical thoughts of self-hatred and inadequacy were found to have negative influence on psychotic symptoms (Connor & Birchwood, 2013) and psychotic-like symptoms, such as non-clinical paranoia (Mills, Gilbert, Bellew, McEwan, & Gale, 2007). Self-criticism has been described as a crucial variable in the maintenance cycle of distress hindering recovery and well-being in psychosis (Waite, Knight, & Lee, 2015).…”