‘Van Gogh’ syndrome: a term to approach with caution

Abstract

If Van Gogh syndrome is indeed synonymous with NSSI, then authors would be advised to keep to the latter term and the clear criteria provided by DSM-V. If the literature continues to suggest that there is a specific syndrome of severe self-harm with psychosis, then this needs more detailed investigation to see if the syndrome has meaningful associations which can distinguish it from the spectrum of self-harm associated with mental illness. Van Gogh syndrome remains an evocative term, but its use should be avoided in favour of existing terminology approved by our current classification systems.