RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Self-harm: 2. Deliberate nonfatal self-harm
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 121
OP 125
VO 129
IS 2
A1 J. Ennis
YR 1983
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/129/2/121.abstract
AB The incidence of deliberate acts of self-harm, such as drug overdoses, has greatly increased in the past two decades. The term "suicide attempt" is really a misnomer. For most people who harm themselves the primary motivation is rarely to die. As well, there are many differences between self-harm patients and patients who have committed suicide. The former tend to be characterologically disturbed and socially disadvantaged. Intervention narrowly focused on suicide prevention will lead to lengthy hospital stays in high-risk cases and ineffective treatment for most self-harm patients, who tend not to comply with outpatient treatment. Crisis-oriented intervention with a brief hospital stay in all cases of self-harm may provide more effective assessment and management.