Psychoanalytic psychotherapy with a client with bulimia nervosa.

This case study presents the progress of one patient with bulimia nervosa who was originally very compromised in psychological domains that are the focus of analytic treatment, and includes in-session therapeutic process and a range of outcomes, for example, eating disorder symptoms, attachment status, and reflective functioning. Nested in a study showing more rapid behavioral improvement in subjects receiving cognitive behavior therapy than in subjects receiving psychoanalytic psychotherapy, the case highlights the importance of supplementing RCTs with single case studies and the need of adapting the therapeutic approach as well as the current therapeutic dialogue to the individual client. (PsycINFO Database Record

Anxious temperament as a risk factor of suicide attempt.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide has been reported to be associated with cyclothymic, irritable, depressive and anxious temperaments. In contrast, hyperthymic temperament has been reported to be protective against suicide. In the present study, we hypothesized that Japanese patients with suicide attempt may have higher scores of cyclothymic, irritable, depressive, and anxious temperaments but lower scores of hyperthymic temperament than non-suicidal patients. In order to examine this hypothesis, we investigated Japanese patients of a university emergency center. METHODS: The association of temperament and suicide attempt was investigated in 116 patients referred to a university emergency center for intoxication or injury. Of them, 35 patients of suspected suicide attempt were categorized as 18 patients who intended to die with attempted suicide and suffered from self-inflicted but not fatal injury (Suicide Attempt II), 4 patients whose intention to die were undetermined although they suffered from self-inflicted injury (Undetermined Suicide-Related Behavior II), and 13 patients who had no intention to die although they suffered from self-inflicted injury (Self-Harm II). Logistic regression analyses and multiple regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with the present suicide attempt and the number of suicide attempts, respectively. RESULTS: Anxious temperament scores were significantly and directly associated with Suicide Attempt II group whereas irritable temperament scores were associated with Self-Harm II group. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that those with anxious temperament may have more suicide attempts than those with other temperaments, indicating anxious temperament as a risk factor of suicide attempt.

Self-Enucleation and Severe Ocular Injury in the Psychiatric Setting.

BACKGROUND: Although the first medically-reported case of auto-enucleation was described in the mid-19th century, ocular self-gouging has long been depicted in historical legend and mythology. Cases of enucleation have since been identified across various cultures. Though relatively uncommon, this major form of self-mutilation now afflicts approximately 500 individuals per year, and may present more commonly among certain clinical populations. METHODS: We present 2 cases of self-enucleation in patients with psychotic illnesses and review existing literature on the history of enucleation, associated pathology, and management (both medically and psychiatrically) for this serious form of self-injury. RESULTS: Literature review includes a brief historical perspective of auto-enucleation and its context in psychosomatic medicine, with cases to highlight key aspects in the prevention and management of ocular self-injury. Normal eye pathology is described briefly, with a focus on medical care after self-inflicted damage, as pertinent to consultation psychiatrists. Interventions for behavioral and pharmacologic management of agitation and impulsivity are reviewed, including consideration for electroconvulsive therapy, in this particular context. CONCLUSION: Although severe ocular self-injury is uncommon, psychiatrists should be familiar with approaches to prevent and manage auto-enucleation in individuals at risk thereof. Consultation psychiatrists must work closely with ophthalmologists to address affective, behavioral, and cognitive triggers and complications of ocular self-injury.

Does the Hospital Predict Readmission? A Multi-level Survival Analysis Approach.

Time to psychiatric rehospitalization was predicted for a sample of 1473 Medicaid-insured youth in Illinois in 2005 and 2006. A multi-level model statistical strategy was employed to account for the fact that youth days to rehospitalization were nested within hospital and to test the hypothesis that hospitals would vary significantly in return rates, controlling for individual-level (e.g., symptom, demographic) variables. Hospitals did not vary significantly in days to rehospitalization. At the individual-level, level of externalizing behavior and residential treatment placement predicted a faster return to the hospital. These results support the perspective that hospital outcomes are best operationalized using variables tied more directly to the inpatient episode (e.g., LOS, reductions in acuity).

[Recurrent voluntary ingestion of metallic objects in prison by a female patient]. / Ingestion volontaire d'objets métalliques à répétition chez une patiente en milieu carcéral.

INTRODUCTION: Recurrent and intentional ingestion of metallic objects is a rare but important phenomenon. It has attracted great interest among mental health professionals over the last decades. However, this issue is rarely reported in the literature. A deep exploration of its clinical and specific psychopathological aspects remains limited. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 32-year-old female patient, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for homicide against her cousin, the daughter of an uncle who had raped her when she was 14. This affair was hushed by the patient's family and the patient was submitted to several acts of abuse by her family. Following her incarceration, she repeatedly ingested metallic objects requiring repeated admissions in a department of surgery for endoscopic extractions or surgical interventions. She impulsively ingested more than 30 times various metallic objects such as wire, razor blades, spoons, etc., under the pressure of impulsiveness and massive anxiety. Voluntary metal ingestions, associated with iterative self-mutilation behaviors, took place within the framework of a borderline personality disorder, the incarceration and the conditions of imprisonment playing a role in initiating and retaining the behavior. CONCLUSION: Through this case report, we examine the specific psychiatric aspects of intentional ingestion of metallic objects in order to better understand this behavior.

Case presentation: long-term treatment.

The long-term (14 years) psychodynamic psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy of a depressed, suicidal, self-mutilating female patient is described. Her diagnoses included Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Recurrent Major Depression. Treatment was punctuated with repeated hospitalizations for self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal ideation. A major determinant for her psychopathology was sexual abuse by her father from ages 6 to 14. This resulted in feelings of guilt and rage that she repressed and acted out through self-mutilating and suicidal behavior. A prolonged negative transference gradually became ambivalent, then positive. This was associated with her internalization of the healing qualities of the therapeutic relationship. She also gained insight into the reasons for her need to punish herself. Her initial self-representation as unworthy and bad was transformed into perceiving herself as a worthwhile, loving person. This case illustrates the role of long-term treatment for a complex, life-threatening, psychiatric disorder.

[Treatment of patients with suicidal and autoagressive neck, thorax and abdomen injuries].

The issue is devoted to the analysis of case reports of 305 patients with suicidal and autoagressive neck, thorax and abdomen injuries. The objective prevalence of penetrating injuries of the abdomen among men with depressive disorders was registered. The most complicated, both for surgeon and psychiatrist, were cases of combined neck, thorax and abdomen injuries in elderly patients.

Apotemnophilia or body integrity identity disorder: a case report review.

Apotemnophilia or body integrity identity disorder (BIID) denotes a syndrome in which a person is preoccupied with the desire to amputate a healthy limb. In this report, we review the available case reports in the literature in order to enhance psychiatrists' and physicians' comprehension of this disorder. A search for the case reports available via MEDLINE was done since the first case report published by Money et al in 1977 till May 2011, using the following terms: apotemnophilia, self-demand amputation, body integrity identity disorder, and BIID. In all, 14 case reports were found relevant to our search. The desire to amputate one's healthy limb seems to be related to a major disturbance in the person's perception of one's own identity, where limb amputation can relieve temporarily the patient's feeling of distress without necessarily and uniformly adjusting the patient's own identity misperception. More investigations are needed in this domain in order to develop noninvasive treatment strategies that approach this aspect of the patient's distress within a globalist perspective. In addition, the health professionals' awareness regarding this disorder is required to ensure professional management of patients' suffering.

[Skin self-injuries in psychodermatological aspect]. / Samouszkodzenia skóry w aspekcie psychodermatologicznym.

Mental disorders are the most frequent cause of self induced injuries (self-injury). Self-mutilation is a form of auto-aggression, which is a manifestation of psychic discomfort. Skin changes, defined as self-induced skin diseases, constitute the secondary problem, and require patients to consult dermatologists. Self-induced skin diseases include Münchhausen syndrome, acne excoriée, trichotillomania, nail biting (onychophagia), dermatitis artefacta, neurotic self-mutilation, self-mutilation when associated with hallucinations and delusions. A knowledge of psycho-dermatological issues among dermatologists, general practitioners, psychiatrists and psychologists facilitates proper diagnosis and the appropriate choice and form of treatment and enables patients to be provided with more complex medical care.

A systematic literature review: self-mutilation among adolescents as a phenomenon and help for it-what kind of knowledge is lacking?

The aim of this review article is to present current knowledge of self-mutilation among adolescents as a phenomenon and to define what kind of knowledge is lacking based on existing literature. The literature searches were executed in the CINAHL and Medline databases in 2010. The analysed data consisted of 126 articles and inductive content analysis was carried out. Existing knowledge of self-mutilation was categorized into the following two classes: (1) self-mutilation as a phenomenon and (2) caring for persons who self-mutilate or self-harm.

Queimadura autoinfligida em mulheres: a violência de gênero inscrita no corpo / Self-inflicted burn on women: gender violence in scribed on the body

O objeto deste estudo consiste na violência autoinfligida em mulheres por queimadura. As lesões por queimadura são consideradas causas externas (acidentes e violências) e tem contribuído para o aumento geral dos índices de morbimortalidade acarretando perda de anos de vida produtiva. São resultantes de múltiplos fatores como condições socioeconômicas, violências e desigualdade de gênero. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: analisar o perfil sociodemográfico das mulheres que vivenciaram queimadura autoinfligida; descrever as circunstâncias e o contexto social relacionados à queimadura autoinfligida em mulheres; analisar os fatores motivadores da queimadura autoinfligida em mulheres; e, discutir a queimadura autoinfligida em mulheres na perspectiva de gênero. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa e exploratória. Os cenários da pesquisa foram dois Centros de Tratamento de Queimados (Municipal e Federal) localizados no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Os sujeitos do estudo foram 10 mulheres com história de queimadura autoinfligida e que não tivessem história de tentativa de suicídio anterior e diagnóstico de sofrimento psíquico, uma vez que estas situações poderiam comprometer a análise das vivências de violência. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de entrevista semi-estruturada, com roteiro previamente elaborado, no período de novembro de 2009 a março de 2010. Os dados foram analisados através da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin, tendo emergido duas categorias: a) A vida da depoente antes da queimadura: percepção da sua condição pessoal; relações familiares envolvendo mãe, pai, avós, irmãos e filhos; relações sociais e relação com o companheiro; b) Queimadura autoinfligida em mulheres: uma questão de violência de gênero: fatores motivadores da queimadura autoinfligida na perspectiva da mulher e queimadura autoinfligida como desfecho da vivência de violência conjugal...

The object of this study is self-inflicted violence in women by burning. Burn injuries are considered external causes (accidents and violence) and have contributed to the overall increase in mortality rates resulting in loss of productive life. They are the result of multiple factors such as socioeconomic status, violence and gender inequality. This study sought to analyze the demographic profile of women who experienced self-inflicted burns; describe the circumstances and social context related to self-inflicted burning in women, analyze the factors which motivated self-inflicted burn in women, and discuss self-inflicted burns in women from a gender perspective. This is both a qualitative and an exploratory study. The research scenarios were two Burns Treatment Centers (Municipal and Federal) located in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The study subjects were 10 women with a history of self-inflicted burns who didn´t have a history of previous suicide attempts and diagnosis of psychological distress, since these situations could compromise the analysis of the experiences of violence. Data collection was conducted by means of a semi-structured interview with a predefined script, from November 2009 to March 2010. Data was analyzed with Bardin´s Content Analysis technique, and two categories have emerged: a) The life of the deponent before the burn: perceptions of her personal condition, family relations involving mother, father, grandparents, siblings and children; social relations and relationship with her partner, b) Self-inflicted burn in women: a matter of gender violence: motivating factors to self-inflicted burns from a woman's perspective and self-inflicted burns as an outcome of the experience domestic violence...