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Personality Disorder and Self-wounding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Digby Tantam  and
Jane Whittaker
Digby Tantam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and School of Postgraduate Medical Education, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL
Jane Whittaker
Affiliation:
Withington Hospital, Manchester M20 8LR
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Abstract

At least 1 in 600 adults wound themselves sufficiently to need hospital treatment. More men than women do it, although more women receive psychological treatment. Many have a history of sexual or physical abuse. Self-wounding differs from other self-harm in being aimed neither at mutilation nor at death. Self-wounding coerces others and relieves personal distress. Repeated self-wounding is one criterion of borderline personality disorder but we prefer to consider it an ‘addictive’ behaviour rather than an expression of a wider disorder. Psychological management may need to be augmented by drug or social treatment. Carers, including professional carers, usually need help to contain the turbulence that self-wounding produces.

Type
Review Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 161 , Issue 4 , October 1992 , pp. 451 - 464
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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