Citation

Nnadozie UU, Obayi ON, Ezeanosike E, Eze C, Maduba CC, Nnadozie FU, Joe-Akunne K, Anikwe CC. Afr. Health Sci. 2020; 20(4): 1828-1830.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University)

DOI

10.4314/ahs.v20i4.37

PMID

34394245

Abstract

Autoenucleation, an unusual form of extreme self-harm, first appeared in scientific literature in 1846, reported by Bergman but later surnamed Oedipism by Blonel in 1906, after a major character portrayed in Sophocles's play - Oedipus Rex.1 Oedipus was the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his own mother. The guilt of patricide and incest moved him to gorge out his eyes to atone for his mortal sins. The prevalence of autoenucleation is not certain as various rates have been reported, though most reports and studies have shown that there is equal male to female ratio and age range of victims being usually between 15 and 53 years.2 Most autoenu- cleations were performed with just bare fingers,3 though hooks, nails, hangers, spoons, scissors and knives were also instru- ments reportedly used.

Besides psychiatric illnesses and organic/neurological conditions, self-enucleation is also at times associated with alcohol/ drug-related disorders.4 Most patients have been reported to suffer from acute or chronic psychoses with chronic schizophre- nia being the commonest association.5 Several fatal complications have been described in the event of autoenucleation, such as blood loss3, suppurative meningitis,6 and cerebrospinal fluid leak and pituitary failure,7 among others. Autoenucleation, like other forms of self-mutilation, is not acceptable in most societies of the world. In a community where there is high stigma towards people with mental illness or where some believe that mental disorder is a punishment for the 'evil' behaviour of the victim, orthodox care is hardly sought and if at all, often very late. The situation is worsened when an act seen as a taboo by the people, such as self-enucleation, is carried out by the already-condemned mentally-ill.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v20i4.37

Language: en