Regaining Control: Anxiety in Sickle Cell Disease

B. was a 15-year-old adolescent girl living with her parents and attending 10th grade referred for outpatient psychiatric services after superficially cutting herself with a razor blade. Medical history was notable for sickle cell disease (SCD) and multiple related complications, but no previous psychiatric evaluation or treatment. Her chief complaint on presentations was “I want to be in control of my emotions." History of Present Illness B. presented to the pediatric emergency department with her father after he learned that she had self-injured by superficially cutting her arm with a razor blade. She reported that this was the only time that she had engaged in any form of self-injurious behavior, and her parents denied knowledge of any prior incidents. She also denied that this was a suicide attempt, and reported that she cut herself due to feeling “overwhelmed.” She reported wanting to regain control of her emotions and that she had read on social media that self-injuring might help; in this instance, she reported that cutting did not have the desired effect. Abstract source