title: [Physical illness as an aim in suicidal mutilations].
abstract: This study presents five cases of completed suicides in which injures were situated in parts of the body changed by illness or in areas related to medical treatment. Following early research, physical illness has been identified as an important risk factor for suicide and for suicidal behavior. It is an unusual and rare problem when opposition to somatic disease is signified by the localization and character of suicidal injures. These cases illustrate such a phenomenon, where the body--in a symbolic way is engaged in expression of human stress and frustration. This is caused by the loss of the possibility to control one's own life. The authors also discussed this problem in the view of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Zakładu Medycyny Sadowej CM UJ, Kraków.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolechała
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strona
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konopka
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woźniak
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kunz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology