Genital self-mutilation is a rare severe form of self-injurious behaviour usually described in psychotic disorders with delusions & hallucinations. It has been ascribed to sexual conflicts, body image distortion, internalized aggression and suicidal intent. This phenomenon has been described in schizophrenia, affective psychosis, alcohol intoxication and personality disorders. In the present ca...

Subincision of the penis is a traditional ritual mutilation unique to the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia. The mutilation is a urethrotomy in which the undersurface of the penis is incised and the urethra slit open lengthwise. Subincision is one element in the initiation of Aboriginal youths. In later ceremonies, repeated throughout adult life, the subincised penis is used as a s...

There are few words in our language that adequately express pain. To express emotional or physical pain to another human being we often rely upon metaphor. Self-mutilation is generally an unspoken expression of an internal and intangible experience. This behavior makes the unseen experience concrete. In some cases the process and outcome of self-mutilation is an explicit metaphor for the mind o...

BACKGROUND To investigate the association of bullying behavior with suicide attempts and self-mutilation among adolescents. SAMPLING AND METHODS The study sample consisted of 508 Finnish adolescents (age 12-17 years) admitted to psychiatric inpatient care between April 2001 and March 2006. DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses and variables measuring suicidal behavior (i.e. suicide attempts and self-m...

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) treatment of a single case of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome showing compulsive self-mutilation, athetoid movements, and characteristic clinical biochemical picture was studied on a double-blind basis. 5-HTP or placebo was administered for seven fortnightly treatment blocks. 5-HTP produced a significant reduction of athetoid movement and a sedative effect but did not improve t...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to provide an up to date account of recent papers and attitude on female genital mutilation in the past year. It is aimed at all professionals caring and supporting women/girls with female genital mutilation, and to identify gaps. RECENT FINDINGS Given the multidisciplinary complexity of the practice of female genital mutilation, it is surprisin...