Penile Self-Mutilation Presenting as Rational Attempted Suicide

Genital self-multilation is rare, and reports suggest that it is usually associated with psychotic illness. We report a case in which penile self-multilation was an attempt to commit suicide and justified as a rational action. The literature on genital self-mutilation is reviewed. It is argued that the strong association between genital self-mutilation and psychosis may be the result of selective reporting.