Repetitive self-mutilation among Japanese eating disorder patients with drug use disorder: comparison with patients...

Repetitive self-mutilation and drug use disorder are less prevalent in Japan, although the prevalence of eating disorder is comparable with rates in Western countries. However, repetitive self-mutilation has not previously been described in relation to eating disorder and drug use disorder in Japan. Subjects consisted of 19 patients with eating disorders and drug use disorders (ED+DUD) and 12 patients with methamphetamine use disorders (MAP). Subjects were drawn from 180 patients who were referred because of eating disorders and 22 patients who were referred because of methamphetamine-related problems. All subjects underwent a semistructured interview. Repetitive self-mutilation tended to be more prevalent among ED+DUD patients than MAP patients. Conversely, history of oppositional defiant disorder and antisocial personality disorder tended to be more prevalent in MAP patients than in ED+DUD patients. The low prevalence of repetitive self-mutilation appears to be due to low risk factors in Japan, even though the pathogenesis of these behaviors seems to be universal.