They Had To Do It: A Case Series Of Compulsive Insertions

Introduction The behavioural phenomenon of insertion of foreign objects into bodily orifices is common among young children which happens by accident and is a particular trait of SmithMagenis syndrome. 1 In adults it may reflect risk taking behaviour, sexual experimentation or drug trafficking. It is a symptom manifestation of conditions including eating disorders, substance use disorders, factitious disorders, depression, dementia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), intellectual disability disorders and psychosis. 2 Most of the case reports detailing foreign object insertion in adults describe them as paraphilia or autoerotic mishaps leading to medical and surgical complications. 3,4 Although sexual obsessions are seen as a symptom in obsessive compulsive disorders limited literature exists on foreign object insertion as an OCD symptom. Here we present a series of cases presenting as compulsive insertion of foreign objects into bodily orifices.