Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study
Self-harm and suicide increase in times of economic recession, but little is known about why people self-harm when in financial difficulty, and in what circumstances self-harm occurs. This study aimed to understand events and experiences leading to the episode of self-harm and to identify opportunit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2016
|
| _version_ | 1826279080134180864 |
|---|---|
| author | Barnes, MC Gunnell, D Davies, R Hawton, K Kapur, N Potokar, J Donovan, JL |
| author_facet | Barnes, MC Gunnell, D Davies, R Hawton, K Kapur, N Potokar, J Donovan, JL |
| author_sort | Barnes, MC |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Self-harm and suicide increase in times of economic recession, but little is known about why people self-harm when in financial difficulty, and in what circumstances self-harm occurs. This study aimed to understand events and experiences leading to the episode of self-harm and to identify opportunities for prevention or mitigation of distress.Participants' homes or university rooms.19 people who had attended hospital following self-harm in two UK cities and who specifically cited job loss, economic hardship or the impact of austerity measures as a causal or contributory factor.Semistructured, in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed cross-sectionally and as case studies.Study participants described experiences of severe economic hardship; being unable to find employment or losing jobs, debt, housing problems and benefit sanctions. In many cases problems accumulated and felt unresolvable. For others an event, such as a call from a debt collector or benefit change triggered the self-harm. Participants also reported other current or past difficulties, including abuse, neglect, bullying, domestic violence, mental health problems, relationship difficulties, bereavements and low self-esteem. These contributed to their sense of despair and worthlessness and increased their vulnerability to self-harm. Participants struggled to gain the practical help they felt they needed for their economic difficulties or therapeutic support that might have helped with their other co-existing or historically damaging experiences.Economic hardships resulting from the recession and austerity measures accumulated or acted as a 'final straw' to trigger self-harm, often in the context of co-existing or historically damaging life-experiences. Interventions to mitigate these effects should include providing practical advice about economic issues before difficulties become insurmountable and providing appropriate psychosocial support for vulnerable individuals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:53:28Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:736cbbf7-7d4b-4251-85e1-c2f9726dcd52 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:53:28Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:736cbbf7-7d4b-4251-85e1-c2f9726dcd522022-03-26T19:56:15ZUnderstanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:736cbbf7-7d4b-4251-85e1-c2f9726dcd52EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordBMJ Publishing Group2016Barnes, MCGunnell, DDavies, RHawton, KKapur, NPotokar, JDonovan, JLSelf-harm and suicide increase in times of economic recession, but little is known about why people self-harm when in financial difficulty, and in what circumstances self-harm occurs. This study aimed to understand events and experiences leading to the episode of self-harm and to identify opportunities for prevention or mitigation of distress.Participants' homes or university rooms.19 people who had attended hospital following self-harm in two UK cities and who specifically cited job loss, economic hardship or the impact of austerity measures as a causal or contributory factor.Semistructured, in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed cross-sectionally and as case studies.Study participants described experiences of severe economic hardship; being unable to find employment or losing jobs, debt, housing problems and benefit sanctions. In many cases problems accumulated and felt unresolvable. For others an event, such as a call from a debt collector or benefit change triggered the self-harm. Participants also reported other current or past difficulties, including abuse, neglect, bullying, domestic violence, mental health problems, relationship difficulties, bereavements and low self-esteem. These contributed to their sense of despair and worthlessness and increased their vulnerability to self-harm. Participants struggled to gain the practical help they felt they needed for their economic difficulties or therapeutic support that might have helped with their other co-existing or historically damaging experiences.Economic hardships resulting from the recession and austerity measures accumulated or acted as a 'final straw' to trigger self-harm, often in the context of co-existing or historically damaging life-experiences. Interventions to mitigate these effects should include providing practical advice about economic issues before difficulties become insurmountable and providing appropriate psychosocial support for vulnerable individuals. |
| spellingShingle | Barnes, MC Gunnell, D Davies, R Hawton, K Kapur, N Potokar, J Donovan, JL Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title | Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Understanding vulnerability to self-harm in times of economic hardship and austerity: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | understanding vulnerability to self harm in times of economic hardship and austerity a qualitative study |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT barnesmc understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT gunnelld understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT daviesr understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT hawtonk understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT kapurn understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT potokarj understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy AT donovanjl understandingvulnerabilitytoselfharmintimesofeconomichardshipandausterityaqualitativestudy |