Graphic videos and images showing people deliberately cutting or burning themselves or engaging in other nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior are readily accessible on YouTube, and frequently viewed by young people, a new study has found.
These videos often have melancholic or hopeless messages, yet are often rated by viewers favorably, researchers say.
«The depiction of NSSI [nonsuicidal self-injury] on YouTube represents an alarming new trend among youth and young adults, and a significant issue for researchers and mental health workers,» the researchers warn.
«Mental health professionals working with young people who self-injure should consider asking about the young person’s online behavior,» first author Stephen P. Lewis, PhD, assistant professor of clinical psychology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, told Medscape Medical News.
To get a handle on the scope of NSSI videos on YouTube, Dr. Lewis and colleagues entered «self-injury» or «self-harm» into YouTube’s search engine. They selected and analyzed the 50 most viewed character videos (i.e., those with a live individual) and the 50 most viewed noncharacter videos.
Most depictions involved cutting or burning of the wrists, arms, or legs. Explicit imagery of self-injury is common, according to the researchers.
Les mer: Self-Injury YouTube Videos Mark an Alarming New Trend (Krever gratis registrering og innlogging på Medscape.com)
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