From pleasure to pain: A psychoanalytic exploration of self-harm

Date

2024-9

Author

Gündoğan, Başak

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The current study aims to explore the self-harm behaviors through a psychoanalytic lens. For this purpose, two research questions are investigated: “What are the experiences of individuals engaging in self-harm?” and “How do individuals engaging in self-harm evaluate their family dynamics and the narratives surrounding their conception and birth?”. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants, all under the age of thirty, who engage in a diverse range of self-harm behaviors. Qualitative data gathered from the interviews is analyzed by employing reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed four superordinate themes: (1) Unspoken experiences behind self-harm, (2) Inter-subjective dynamics of self-harm, (3) Chaotic family dynamics and their impact on self-harm, (4) Birth narratives and their impact on self-harm. Each theme is discussed in greater detail, employing Lacanian psychoanalytic perspective and other psychoanalytic perspectives.

Subject Keywords

Self-harm, Lacanian psychoanalysis, Qualitative research, Thematic analysis

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/111014

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis