Autoamputation in Psychosis: Diagnostic Issues

Self-mutilation (SM) is a rare but extreme manifestation of mental illness. A review on the topic defined this act as “the commission of deliberate harm to one’s own body severe enough to cause tissue damage,” excluding conscious suicidal attempts or acts associated with sexual arousal (1). SM is most commonly seen in 4 populations: persons with mental retardation, persons suffering from psychosis, persons in prison (where it is associated with antisocial personality disorder [APD]), and persons with borderline personality disorder (BPD).