Research: People engaging in self-harm find support on Reddit. But is that community helping them?
A new study from the University of Georgia suggests people posting in Reddit’s r/selfharm community are likely seeking support for negative emotions.
While sharing traumatic events online can be cathartic, the researchers caution that subreddits can’t provide the same type of mental health help and support face-to-face interactions and professional help can.
“We don’t know the accuracy of the information that’s being shared in these communities about nonsuicidal self-injury,” said Amanda Giordano, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services. “A client engaging in self-harm may feel as though they have the support they need in their online community and, in turn, may not seek offline help. However, there’s evidence to suggest that talking to anonymous strangers online is less effective than seeking support from a trusted person offline.”