ABSTRACT
Deliberate self-harm (DSH) causes about 140,000 hospital admissions each year in the UK (Bennewith et al., 2002), usually from drug overdose (Boyce et al., 2001). Although only a minority of these need ICU admission, drugs can precipitate crises. Care focuses on:
n physiological support; n preventing recurrence of self-harming behaviour (psychiatry); n dealing with underlying psychopathology.
