Franzén and Gottzén (2011) identify two discourses that offer a contrasting view on self-harm: the “normalizing” and the “pathologizing” discourses. They remark both discourses can be found in online communities and used simultaneously as people who self-harm often express ambivalence.

The “normalizing” discourse

The normalizing discourse tends to see self-harm as a legitimate coping mechanism against mental health problems. People who self-harm are described as “different” from the general population in that, unlike the latter, they are resilient and have “authentic” psychological turmoil. Scars are also considered beautiful.

The “pathologizing” discourse

The pathologizing discourse tends to see self-harm as a morally wrong and “unnatural” behavior that is not a solution to mental health issues. It is critical of people who self-injure and often question or even deny their suffering. Scars are often seen as disgusting.

	“Normalizing” discourse	“Pathologizing” discourse
Pros	-Reduces stigma -Creates a sense of community  -Individuals feel free to express themselves	-Closer to the medical and psychological perspective -Not accepting self-harm as a normal behavior can push individuals into improving their situation
Cons	-Normalization can maintain individuals in their disorder -Risks of an epidemic if self-harm is romanticized -The search for “authenticity” and the “us” vs “them” perspective can be exclusive	-Stigma can lead to shame and refusal to seek help -Judgmental and critical instead of being compassionate

Instead of seeing those two discourses as contradictory, seeing them on a spectrum could enable us to pick the benefits of each discourse while rejecting the disadvantages. Lewis and Hasking’s Person-Centered Model of Self-Injury Recovery (2021) can be a good alternative. It helps reduce the stigma surrounding self-harm, accepting scars and normalizing urges and stepbacks while also addressing underlying issues and encouraging individuals to seek help and treatment.

References

Anna Gradin Franzén & Lucas Gottzén (2011) The beauty of blood? Self-injury and ambivalence in an Internet community. Journal of Youth Studies, 14(3), 279-294.

Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2021). Self-injury recovery: A person-centered framework. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 884–895.