Pattern of deliberate self-harm seen at a tertiary teaching hospital in Meghalaya, India

Background: The purpose of the study was to explore the deliberate self-harm (DSH) in the North-Eastern part of India and to understand the pattern of occurrence to help improve early intervention strategies. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. After informed consent, 50 individuals admitted in the emergency department with DSH were assessed for psychological profile by a trained psychiatrist and pattern of DSH was recorded using a semi-structured proforma. Results: Nearly 65% of the individuals were in the age group of 15-25 years and females were predominant compared to males (0.6 males/female). The maximum DSH attempts took place from 6:00 PM-6:00 AM. Chemical ingestion (44%) and medication overdose (24%) were the two most common modes of DSH. Nearly 20% of the individuals were intoxicated during the DSH attempt. Conclusion: The results inform the pattern of DSH in the North-Eastern part of India and further research is needed to explore the pattern in detail for designing effective intervention strategies.