A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of Public Tumblr Blog Posts on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Rates of Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has have steadily been on the risen among in adolescents and young adults. This study collected pro-NSSI public blog posts from Tumblr on pro-NSSI and analyzed the content linguistically using LIWC software. , examining the The NSSI -specific words, the linguistics properties and the psychological linguistic properties were examined. The results align with similar studies conducted on understanding the language markers of mental health. For NSSI specific word categories, the methods of engaging in NSSI was the most frequently used in the Tumblr blogs. This aligns with literature about the need for people to express their emotional pain to others who may understand. The linguistic properties demonstrated some unique results that can be best explained by the numbing feeling that is found in individuals who utilize NSSI and their tendency to avoid expressing painful experiences in a manner that would increase their vulnerability. The psychological properties of these public Tumblr posts were revealed through the dominantly in a negative emotional tone of the writing, which is also indicative of anyone struggling with severe mental illness. These findings suggest that treatment which specializes in shame and increasing self-compassion, such as Compassion Focused Therapy, would be more beneficial to these individuals who struggle with pain, shame and emotional distress than current treatment programs.