Citation

Najwa Hanim Md Rosli, Badi'ah Yahya, Abdul Kadir Abu Bakar. ASEAN J. Psychiatry 2011; 1-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, ASEAN Federation for Psychiatry and Mental Health)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to discuss the issue related to the application of temporary insanity plea through a case report of a man who was earlier certified as mentally sound following a murder and suicide attempt.

METHODS: We report a man who committed murder and attempted suicide 7 years ago, had a psychiatric certification of not having mental illness and recently requested for a second psychiatric assessment. The factors taken into consideration in arriving at the final diagnosis are discussed.

RESULTS: The man was found to have brief psychotic disorder precipitated by psychological blow and sleep deprivation with underlying undiagnosed borderline mental retardation.

CONCLUSION: In assessing patient with temporary insanity plea, various areas in the history need to be explored deeply with thorough investigations to be done in order to arrive at a fair conclusion for the patient's and victim's sake.

Language: en

Keywords

automatism; brief psychotic disorder; mental retardation; sleeps deprivation; Temporary insanity