Abstract
Objective: 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.
Setting: Participants’ homes or university rooms.
Participants: 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.
Primary and secondary outcome measures: Semistructured, in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribe8d and analysed cross-sectionally and as case studies.
Results: 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.
Conclusions: 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.
Setting: Participants’ homes or university rooms.
Participants: 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.
Primary and secondary outcome measures: Semistructured, in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribe8d and analysed cross-sectionally and as case studies.
Results: 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.
Conclusions: 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.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e010131 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | BMJ Open |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 17 Feb 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2016 |
Structured keywords
- Centre for Surgical Research
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Profiles
-
Dr John P Potokar
- Bristol Medical School (PHS) - Consultant Senior Lecturer
- Bristol Population Health Science Institute
- Centre for Academic Mental Health
- Infection and Immunity
- Bristol Neuroscience
Person: Academic , Member