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Online Intimacy-The Digital Designed Self

The use of experiential knowledge in the role of a psychiatrist

There is increasing interest in the use of experiential knowledge and the development of experiential expertise in mental health. Yet, little is known about how best to use this expertise in the role of a psychiatrist. This study aims to gain insight into the concerns of psychiatrists using their lived experiences with mental health distress as a source of knowledge for patients, colleagues and themselves. Eighteen psychiatrists with lived experience as patients in mental health care were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative narrative thematic analysis. The majority of the respondents use their lived experience implicitly in the contact with patients, which makes the contact more equal and strengthens the treatment relationship. When explicitly using experiential knowledge in the contact with patients, thought should be given at forehand to its purpose, timing and dosage. Recommendations are that the psychiatrist should be able to reflect on his/her lived experience from a sufficient distance and should take patient factors into account. When working in a team, it is advisable to discuss the use of experiential knowledge in advance with the team. An open organizational culture facilitates the use of experiential knowledge and safety and stability in the team are vital. Current professional codes do not always offer the space to be open. Organizational interests play a role, in the degree of self-disclosure as it can lead to conflict situations and job loss. Respondents unanimously indicated that the use of experiential knowledge in the role of a psychiatrist is a personal decision. Self-reflection and peer supervision with colleagues can be helpful to reflect on different considerations with regard to the use of experiential knowledge. Having personal lived experiences with a mental disorder affects the way psychiatrists think about and performs the profession. The perception of psychopathology becomes more nuanced and there seems to be an increased understanding of the suffering. Even though harnessing experiential knowledge makes the doctor-patient relationship more horizontal it remains unequal because of the difference in roles. However, if adequately used, experiential knowledge can enhance the treatment relationship.

Club-wise, a theory of our time

Meet the club-goer. Today he woke up thinking that, compared to the typical weight of his miseries, the day feels quite light. Upon waking up, he suddenly decided to go to the club tonight. Prior to this happening, he makes a pact with himself to do his duties: deliver to society and eat his meals. Perhaps even go for a little run? The thought of running charms him immediately, and the next thing we see is him running. As he runs by the secondhand shop, his thoughts begin shuffling the colors of classic logos: Hip-Hop, happy meals, all MTV channel extensions, Vans shoes purchased every six months. Although he is not a big fan of retromanic gestures, the club-goer wouldn’t mind wearing a logo – or two – in the club tonight. Just like before, he could commemorate his teenage years with someone who would empathize with the logo.

Culture of the selfie

Culture of the Selfie is an in-depth art-historical overview of self-portraiture, using a set of theories from visual studies, narratology, media studies, psychotherapy, and political principles. Collecting information from various fields, juxtaposing them on the historical time-line of artworks, the book focuses on space in self-portraits, shared between the person self-portraying and the viewer. What is the missing information of the transparent relationship to the self and what kind of world appears behind each selfie? As the ‘world behind one’s back’ is gradually taking larger place in the visual field, the book dwells on a capacity of selfies to master reality, the inter-mediate way and, in a measure, oneself.

Defining the synthetic self

The Meaningfulness of Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism in Forensic Mental Health Rehabilitation Practice: A Systematic Review

Narcissism is a personality construct with grandiose, and vulnerable aspects, that are interconnected through antagonistic characteristics. While antagonism is strongly related to antisocial behavior, the role of narcissism remains underexplored in offender rehabilitation practice. Research in non-forensic samples has already shown promising results in the differential associations for grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in relation to violent and antisocial behavior and treatment responsiveness that could be relevant for offender rehabilitation. To research the meaningfulness of both narcissism aspects for forensic offender rehabilitation practice, we systematically reviewed the electronic literature databases CINAHL EBSCOhost, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, Medline All Ovid, PsycINFO Ovid, and Web of Science Core Collection. Subsequently, we synthesized the outcome into meaningful data classifications related to the risk of violence in offender populations and treatment responsivity. In total, 14 publications on forensic samples were included. Overall, the findings suggest that grandiose narcissism was strongly related to proactive violence and a low treatment responsiveness. Vulnerable narcissism was associated with reactive aggression, mediated by impulsivity and negative emotions, and with a moderate responsivity level. As such, both narcissism aspects seem relevant for the development of structured and focused treatment plans in offender rehabilitation practice. The implications for offender rehabilitation practice are provided.