Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a condition warranting further study. Although potential advantages and disadvantages regarding this prospect have been documented, no study has examined the perspectives of those who self-injure. The goal of the current study was to give voice to these views. Seventy-six participants with an NSSI history completed quantitative and qualitative measures assessing perspectives about NSSI being included as a DSM disorder. Findings revealed mixed views overall. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses highlighted several unique advantages (i.e., enhanced understanding of NSSI, validation of the NSSI experience, facilitation of NSSI treatment, encouragement of NSSI help-seeking, reduction of NSSI stigma) and disadvantages (i.e., exacerbation of NSSI stigma, diminishment of underlying concerns). These findings speak to the need to consider the perceptions of those with lived NSSI experience; future directions and implications are discussed.

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Since the worldwide implementation of lockdown measures due to COVID-19, there have been substantial changes in how we interact with our social and material worlds. Urban landscapes are being reimagined (Pierantoni et al., 2020), individuals are finding new ways to re-create outdoors (Rice et al., 2020), and many health services are being digitized to increase accessibility (Taylor et al., 2020). This short photo essay adds a visual component to such everyday social and material changes. More specifically, it is composed of three photographs that I took while on my solo-walks in Southern Ontario during the initial lockdown. The collection explores three themes: the irony of cleanliness, danger and contamination, and the importance of staying connected with loved ones during COVID-19.