[Autocastration of a young schizophrenic man]

Self-mutilation of the genitals in man is a rare phenomenon mainly occurring in young males. The importance of conflicts about the male role, difficulties with the male identification in childhood and feeling of guilt for sexual offences are discussed in the literature. The influence of developmental crisis on this symbolic form of automutilation will be discussed in our case report.

We present a case of a young schizophrenic man whose illness started in adolescence. He committed genital automutilation already in early adolescence, as a young male he autocastrated himself.

We demonstrate the connection of specific problems of development in adolescence and psychopathology. Autocastration will be discussed as a "psychotic" solution of the adolescent conflict of dependence.

Developmental conflicts may be important pathoplastic factors who may lead to severe psychopathology and misbehavior. Additionally to a psychopharmacological treatment a specific adolescent- and conflictoriented psychotherapy for solving the developmental conflicts in young schizophrenic patients should be established.