Failed suicide and deliberate self-harm: A need for specific nomenclature

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Lack of distinct nomenclature for survivors of self-harm attempts complicates research and clinical management.
• Survivors of self-harm may have varying intentions, with some desiring death and others not.
• Existing classifications do not differentiate between these potentially distinct groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the existence of clinically distinct groups among self-harm survivors.
• To establish criteria for differentiating individuals who attempted self-harm but survived.
• To inform better understanding and management of self-harm behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A detailed psychiatric evaluation of 78 individuals who attempted self-harm.
• Data collection using a specialized proforma covering sociodemographics, medical history, psychosocial factors, substance abuse, and attempt details.
• Analysis of variables including age, diagnosis, intentionality, lethality, and psychosocial stressors.

Main Results:

• Two distinct groups of self-harm survivors were identified.
• Significant differences were observed between groups in age, diagnosis, intentionality, lethality, and psychosocial factors.
• The study suggests naming the groups 'failed suicide' (intended death) and 'deliberate self-harm' (did not intend death).

Conclusions:

• Survivors of self-harm can be clearly divided into 'failed suicide' and 'deliberate self-harm' groups.
• These groups exhibit distinct characteristics, enabling clinical differentiation.
• Proposed criteria facilitate the classification and study of self-harm survivors.