Not be Missed
Antonie Dixon, the samurai sword attacker who cut the hands of two women and murdered a man, died at Paremoremo Prison overnight. Apparently he committed suicide.
He will not be missed.
Corrections will probably be heavily criticised for his death. In fairness to them, however, Dixon had borderline personality disorder (BPD). Parasuicide (a suicide attempt that is attention-seeking, rather than a genuine attempt to end life) is very common amongst BPD. Occasionally, and unpredictably, these parasuicides become true suicides, probably through miscalculation, rather than a genuine desire to die. As BPDs often serve jail-time, the prisons would be unworkable if all of them were put on suicide watch.
On the other hand, an investigation is in order to determine exactly where Dixon obtained the sharp object with which he ended his life.
In unrelated news, Kay McKelvie, the chairwoman of the Waitemata District Health Board, has announced her resignation, on the grounds that Waitemata Health are not getting their “fair share” of state health cash.
She will not be missed.
Ms McKelvie, who has strong Labour connections, only now speaks out about inadequate funding after Labour is no longer in power. She should have been advocating for her DHB over the past nine years, instead she did nothing. Waitemata Health has been in crisis for years and yet they have stolidly sat at the end of the queue for hospital rebuilding – the new tower block opens only in 2011. Recently, seniors doctors have spoken out about the unacceptable state of the Emergency services. Ms McKelvie’s response – the new tower block opens in 2011. Please be patient; normal services will be resumed as soon as possible.
And, for this, she was given the Queen’s Service Order this year for “services to business and health”.
Go figure.
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Feb 6 09 1:51 am
“where Dixon obtained the sharp object with which he ended his life.”
Its not hard for a prisoner to fashion a makeshift knife, or shank…havent you seen “Oz”?
Anyway, I have used Antonie Dixon as an example in my arguments against de-institutionalisation of mental health. The guy was clearly off his rocker in some way, and I think his fellow prisoners and the officers would be bloody glad that he has removed himself from the gene pool..given that he was clearly a danger to staff and other inmates…the best place for him was in some kind of secure hospital unit….thats why I dont blame Corrections. Mental health is not their ‘core business’ so to speak.
Feb 11 09 12:02 am
Hi Doc. I have a 50 year old sister who has been recently diagnosed with having BPD. Can you supply me with some reputable websites where I can get some information on this condition. I am at my wits end with her violent, drunken, irrational, irresponsible and completely selfish behaviour and think I should become a bit more informed, before I strangle the bitch.
Are there any treatments that work?
Feb 11 09 1:31 am
Murray: These may help.
Here is a good overview
This is about personality disorders in general
Here is a PDF on various treatment modalities.