Though the man’s delusional symptoms faded after being admitted to the hospital and his injuries were treated, doctors weren’t able to reattach the lost appendage.
In an attempt to stop the pain, he decided to grab a pair of scissors and to “trim the penile skin several times.” Eventually, he severed his penis clean off, leaving behind an inch-long stump.
Emergency surgery stopped the man’s bleeding and cleaned his wounds, while he underwent a procedure to create a new opening so he could still urinate through his urethra.
But he was otherwise coherent, not suicidal, and denied having a family or personal history of depression, self harm, and any other issues related to his prior drug use.
Because the man’s symptoms happened soon after he ingested cannabis and went away after a month of not taking the drug—along with no other likely explanation—the doctors diagnosed him with substance-induced psychotic disorder.
The sharp and persistent pain in the man’s penis that prompted his amputation may have been a subjective sensation brought on by his delusion, but it also could have been the result of a genuine unwanted erection caused by the cannabis—it’s simply not possible to tell either way, the doctors concluded.