Case study : a patient with severe delusions who self-mutilates

Abstract

Although some overlapping features exist between self-injury and intention to die, there is growing recognition that non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), including major self-mutilation (MSM), and suicidal behaviour are distinct entities as evidenced by their significance in terms of aetiology, psychiatric impairment, psychological function, method of self-harm and course or outcome between the two phenomena.1 We present a case of self-harm in a mental healthcare user diagnosed with schizophrenia to highlight the distinction made above.