Online help for people with suicidal thoughts provided by charities and healthcare organisations: a qualitative study of
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Online help for people with suicidal thoughts provided by charities and healthcare organisations: a qualitative study of users’ perceptions Lucy Biddle1,2 · Jane Derges1 · Carlie Goldsmith3 · Jenny L. Donovan1 · David Gunnell1,4 Received: 18 September 2019 / Accepted: 28 February 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Purpose Internet use is common among people with suicidal feelings and a considerable amount of suicide help material is available online. Despite attempts to promote formal help sites (e.g. governmental and charity sector) in internet search results, users’ evaluation of these sites is lacking. This study, therefore, aimed to explore distressed users’ perceptions of formal online help and their experiences of using this in times of crisis. Methods In-depth interview study of 53 adults reporting suicide-related internet use. Results While highly valued in relation to general mental health problems, formal sites were not perceived to meet the different needs of those experiencing suicidal thoughts, and did not engage individuals in crisis. Sites were criticised for being impersonal, dispassionate, too focused on information-giving, and lacking solutions that were novel or sensitive to reasons why an individual may choose to seek help online. Most participants criticised the tendency for sites to signpost to offline services as their primary response. Participants desired immediacy and responsive online help incorporating ‘live chat’, self-help tools, opportunities to interact with others and lived-experience content. Positive accounts of seeking online help described sites incorporating these features. Conclusions Formal online help services should be reappraised to ensure they meet users’ needs for immediacy and responsive help to capitalise upon the opportunity available for suicide prevention. Keywords Suicide · Self-harm · Help-seeking · Internet · Qualitative research
Introduction Suicide-related internet use is common in people with suicidal feelings, particularly as severity of ideation increases [1]. In a recent study [2], 45% of young people with suicidal thoughts and 70% who had made a suicide attempt reported suicide-related internet use. Within a hospital emergency * Lucy Biddle [email protected] 1
Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
2
The National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West) at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
3
Samaritans, Ewell, Surrey, UK
4
National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
department setting, 8% of adults who had seriously selfharmed reported suicide-related internet use in relation to their presenting episode. This rose to one in four amongst those with high suicidal intent and was more frequent in young people [3]. While such use may be har
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