Self-cannibalism is a rare form of self-mutilation in which the person eats his or her own flesh.
Tissue that may be eaten include:
(1) a finger or toe
(2) excised skin
(3) other
Risk factors:
(1) psychotic mental disorder (schizophrenia, other)
(2) psychosis associated with substance abuse
(3) history of self-mutilation and/or suicide attempts
(4) antisocial or borderline personality disorder
(5) prison inmate (with or without malingering)
Very rarely no risk factors are seen. Such a patient would require a thorough psychiatric evaluation to identify a masked mental disorder.
