Recurrent self-mutilation

Self-injurious behaviour and the Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: a clinical study and review of the literature

“…In psychiatric populations, several studies have addressed the question of the frequency of self destructive behaviour. Thus, all the in-patients of a large psychiatric hospital were screened for self mutilation, and 4 % were found to have self injury: males, although apt to make more violent attacks upon themselves, self mutilated less than females (Phillips & Alkan, 1961). In another study (Hassanyeh, 1985) in an adult psychiatric hospital, patients who inflicted lacerations to themselves represented just under 1 % of both admission and long-stay patients.…”

“…Some patients with depressive illness also exhibit self injury, of which examples are wrist cutting (Bennun, 1983), head banging (Yesavage, 1983), dermatitis artefacta (Fabisch, 1980), lacerations of the body (Phillips & Alkan, 1961) and, in the case of psychotically depressed patients, eye injuries, including enucleation (Crowder et al 1979). Pao (1969) makes the point that, as with schizophrenia, deep lacerations near vital structures are likely to represent psychotic behaviour which includes depressives.…”

Depression and Hostility in Self‐Mutilation

“…In its varied forms, self‐mutiliation is a symptom of considerable clinical importance. It has been defined in terms of a self‐inflicted willful wound (Pao, 1969); the measures that an individual takes to destroy or render imperfect some part of the body (Philips & Alkan, 1961); self‐laceration (Morgan, 1979) or, more simply, any behavior that produces physical injury to the individual's own body regardless of the supposed intent (Simpson, 1980).…”