@article{ref1,
title="Pain and deliberate self-harm: An important association",
journal="Journal of psychosomatic research",
year="2005",
author="Theodoulou, Megan and Harriss, Linton and Hawton, Keith E. and Bass, C.",
volume="58",
number="4",
pages="317-320",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish how often pain was a factor contributing to an episode of deliberate self-harm. METHOD: Retrospective case note examination of all deliberate self-harm patients with concurrent medical problems admitted to a general hospital over 2 years. RESULTS: Pain was considered to be a contributory factor in the episode of deliberate self-harm in 75 (4%) of the total number of episodes of deliberate self-harm (1665) over the 2-year period. These patients were older and had higher suicide intent scores, but lower rates of previous psychiatric illness or alcohol or drug misuse than did the deliberate self-harm patients with medical problems but no pain. Although 60% had experienced pain for more than 6 months only, 8 (12%) were attending the local Pain Clinic at the time of the deliberate self-harm. CONCLUSION: We propose closer collaboration between general hospital services and local pain clinics for deliberate self-harm patients with painful disorders. Clinicians need to assess suicidal ideation and risk of self-harm when prescribing for this population.",
language="",
issn="0022-3999",
doi="10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.10.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.10.004"
}