Klingsor Syndrome: Genital Self-Mutilation in a Psychotic Patient

Self-mutilation attempts are common in psychiatric practice. One form of self-harm, genital self-mutilation (GSM), is less common but may have severe consequences. GSM acts can occur in different diagnoses such as personality disorders, substance abuse disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and psychotic disorders. When GSM is performed due to psychotic symptoms, the clinical picture is called Klingsor Syndrome. GSM is often associated with severe psychosis and often accompanied by religious delusions. In our article, we discussed a case of schizophrenia with penile autoamputation due to religious delusions. A 28-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital after penile autoamputation. After surgical interventions, the patient's follow-up continued in our clinic. The patient had auditory hallucinations, delusions of persecution, and sinfulness. His symptoms improved after antipsychotic treatment. It is important to identify the risk factors of Klingsor Syndrome, which is a rare but serious condition, and to intervene early in these patients. Keywords: Self-mutilation, Psychosis, Self-injurious Behavior.