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Intentional Self Burning by Psychiatric Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Geraldine O'Sullivan  and
Michael J Kelleher
Geraldine O'Sullivan
Affiliation:
Research Worker/Honorary Senior Registrar, Maudsley Hospital, London
Michael J Kelleher
Affiliation:
Clinical Director, St Annes's Hospital, Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
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Abstract

Suicide and attempted suicide are common phenomena amongst psychiatric inpatients and outpatients. Self-immolation or self-incineration are dramatic attention seeking events which may have religious or political significance. Deliberate self burning which incorporate these may also encapsulate elements of attention seeking, parasuicidal and suicide behaviour. The present study shows that psychiatric inpatients who choose to injure themselves by self burning are a seriously disturbed group whose intention is largely suicidal and who have a previous history of attempted suicide. They tend to be female, single, suffering from either schizophrenia or personality disorder in contrast to the majority of people who take their lives by other methods who tend to suffer from depression, alcoholism or both.

Keywords

SuicideParasuicideFiresetting BehaviourSelf-burningSelf-incinerationSelf-immolationForensic PsychiatrySuicide, attempted
Type
Clinical and Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 1989 , pp. 41 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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