22nd Feb 2011
HUNDREDS of graphic YouTube videos promoting self-harm as normal and glamorous are prompting growing concern among mental health experts.
The dangerous trend was revealed when Canadian researchers analysed 100 of the most popular 2009 YouTube videos containing non-suicidal self-harm themes.
Self-harm viral videos were commonly uploaded by young women, they found.
Those selected for study were viewed more than two million times by a general audience and were rated favourably, suggesting they may be identified with, and accepted by, viewers, the researchers said.
Despite the videos predominantly being factual or educational, over one-half expressed a "hopeless" or "melancholic" message, and few actively discouraged self-harm acts.
The majority depicted graphic images of self-harm such as photographs or live enactments typically showing cutting of arms or wrists of moderate severity, the researchers said.
Other depictions included self-embedding, burning and, less frequently, hitting, biting, skin pricking and wound interference.
"The depiction of self-harm on YouTube represents an alarming new trend among youth and young adults and a significant issue for researchers and mental health workers," the authors said.
"These videos may foster communities of youth in which self-harm is encouraged, normalised and sensationalised, which may reinforce and exacerbate the risk for self-harm."
For example, the use of text, photography and music may make self-harm more attractive and glamorise self-harm for youth who self-injure, they said.
The authors believed awareness of self-harm videos was vital and encouraged doctors working with youth who self-harm to enquire about their Internet use.
Pediatrics 2011; 127:e552-e557
Tags: self-harm, YouTube, cutting, mental health
