2356 – Case report: autoamputation of the penis in a patient with shizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that often manifests itself as chronic, serious mental illness which primarily affects one's ability to think, coupled with impaired perception of reality, which causes a change in behavior followed by unpleasant sensations. The following case report describes an act of genital self mutilation. An employed, unmarried male suffering from schizophrenia, auto castrated his genitalia during a period of illness. Psychotic patients with delusions (often of religious nature), sexual conflict associated with guilt, past suicide attempts or other self-destructive behavior and depression, severe childhood deprivation, and major premorbid personality disorder, are the group at risk of genital self-amputation. The objective of this case study is to gain a better understanding of the consequences of certain symptoms of schizophrenia, however rare and bizarre they might be.