Motivation in deliberate self-harm.

Fifty adult patients presenting with deliberate self-harm at the Royal Victoria Hospital were given a choice of nine reasons for their actions. Most chose more than one reason and all but two of the 24 who said that they wished to die chose at least one other motive. There were no trends with respect to sex, past history, or method of deliberate self-harm. These results illustrate the complexity of this condition and show the importance of investigating motives beyond simply the intent to die.