AU - Raihani, hamed AU - Ghaffari Nejad, ali reza TI - Suicide attempt by insertion of a sewing needle in the skull: single case report PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE TA - ijpcp JN - ijpcp VO - 7 VI - 3 IP - 3 4099 - http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-1973-en.html 4100 - http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-1973-en.pdf SO - ijpcp 3 AB  -   There have already been cases of insertion of swing needles in the skull through the fontanell for the purpose of murdering or hurting infants and babies. However no such cases of suicide were ever reported. The present study reports the case of a 25 year old single woman, suffering from mild mental retardation and major depression, who attempted suicide by inserting two sewing needles in her skull, at a previous craniectomy area. Two years before this, the patient had inserted two sewing needles in her belly, and the needles were removed by laparotomy. In mentally retarded patients, depression may manifest itself as masochistic behaviors, and sometimes as suicidal attempts. After the needles were removed from the skull, and the patient underwent a four-week anti-depression treatment (with a daily dose of 100 mg nortriptyline), the symptoms improved and the patient was discharged from hospital. CP - IRAN IN - Neurosurgical Ward, Shahid Bahonar hospital, Shahid Gharani Ave., Kerman, Iran, I.R. LG - eng PB - ijpcp PG - 11 PT - Original Research YR - 2002