What is the quality of online health information related to self-injury and self-harm? What are some of the risks and benefits related to seeking self-injury content on the internet? In this episode, Dr. Lewis details 3 overarching risks and 4 overarching benefits of accessing self-injury content online. He also discusses his research related to the effects of hopeless vs. hopeful comments on YouTube videos about self-injury. 

To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8. Learn more about self-injury and Dr. Lewis' work at Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS)  (http://sioutreach.org/). Follow SiOS on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sioutreach) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/sioutreach). Below are links to his research and resources referenced in this episode:

Non-suicidal self-injury, youth, and the Internet: What mental health professionals need to know

Googling self-injury: The state of health Information obtained through online searches for self-injury

The Scope of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on YouTube

Self-Injury Resources:

1. Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) (http://sioutreach.org/)
2. Shedding Light on Self-Injury (https://www.self-injury.org.au/)
3. Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) (www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu)
4. The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) (https://itriples.org/)

Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS).