Coping with suicide' burning scar's disfigurement among Kurdish women in Iraq (Kurdistan)

Background: Suicide is one of the most important causes of death in the world. A critical problem that Iraqi women in Kurdistan are facing is self-immolation. Deformity caused by bum can have many psychological effects on the individuals, including self-image disorder, loss of quality of life, low self-confidence, and disturbances in social interactions. Methods: A qualitative research method with a grounded theory approach was used to achieve the research objectives. Sampling started purposefully and continued with theoretical sampling until access to sufficient knowledge about the phenomenon under investigation. In this study, 22 in-depth interviews were carried out with 19 women participants who had committed self-immolation. Findings: After the data analysis, six main categories were formed, including 1- Facing the inevitable harsh reality. 2- Experiencing negative reactions from others 3- Drowning in the vicious cycle of hopelessness and regret. 4- A bitter journey into the whirlpool of fear and uncertainty. 5- Germination of the hope buds. 6- Re-building weakened self-esteem. "Stepping on the rugged path of distorted image reconstruction" was the core variable in the study. Conclusion: Although people take some steps to adapt to the situation and deformity, they do not achieve full acceptance of the present circumstances. In this process, the person hopes to regain the lost beauty and does not effortlessly accept the deformity. Instead, she will try everything to get rid of deformity and restore the lost beauty. During the adaptation process, nurses and health care providers, the family and the community have a unique role in accelerating or slowing the process of adaptation. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd.