Les conduites automutilatrices : étude portant sur 30 patients

In our sample, there was a higher percentage of women (29 women and 1 man) and the mean age was 18 (12 to 37). More than half of the patients were aged under 18. Single parent families were reported in 30% of cases. Thirty percent of patients had been physically or sexually abused during childhood. Sixty percent had a comorbid psychiatric disorder, 63% had been hospitalised previously (half of them twice or more). Seventy-three percent of patients had previously attempted suicide (notably deliberate self-poisoning and cutting) that was not considered as self-mutilating behaviour by the patients themselves. Each patient had self harmed themselves at least twice and most often different methods and locations were used (deliberate self harm of forearms 90%, thighs 26.7%, legs 16.7%, chest 10%, belly 10%, hands 6.9%, face 6.9%, arms 6.7%, and feet 3.3%). Addictive disorders, such as substance abuse (tobacco 46.7%; alcohol 23.3%; illicit drugs 16.7% mostly cannabis or cocaine) and eating disorders (33.3% and among them 50% of cases were restrictive anorexia nervosa) were often associated with a deliberate self harm syndrome. Three psychiatric diagnoses were often observed in our cohort: depressive disorder 36.7%; personality disorder 20%; psychosis 10% and depressive disorder associated with personality disorder 33.3%. In our sample, psychotic patients differed on several clinical aspects: the atypical location (abdomen, nails) and method (needles) of self-mutilating behaviour. None of them had been abused during childhood and none was suffering from addictive disorders.