Views of self in the context of self-injury recovery: a thematic analysis

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has emerged as a central mental health concern, with growing attention been paid to understanding NSSI recovery. Recently, much of this research has placed emphasis on people's lived experience. Efforts in this regard highlight that many individuals report positive changes and develop strengths over the course of their recovery journeys. However, given the nascent stage of research in this area, how individuals come to see themselves in a positive manner within the context of recovery remains unclear. Thus, the present study investigated how individuals with lived experience of NSSI describe positive self-perceptions within their individual recovery contexts. Inductive thematic analysis was used to examine 80 positive recovery stories posted by individuals with lived NSSI experience on a popular online NSSI discussion forum. Our findings fell into four broad themes: Growth Requires Loss, There's Light at the End of the Tunnel, Belief in One's Capacity, and Cultivating Self-Worth. The present findings demonstrate that people with lived NSSI experience have positive self-perceptions in recovery that are grounded in growth, strength, and hope. Findings point to an array of implications for researchers, clinicians, and online outreach efforts that are conducive to fostering positive self-perceptions among people who self-injure.