The human psyche is a complicated thing - and like anything complex, it can go deeply wrong. Let's take a look at...
1. ApotemnophiliaMost humans dread the idea of losing a limb - but sufferers of apotemnophilia desire it. The condition was originally considered a sexually-driven compulsion (and the condition was first identified from a letter to Penthouse magazine.) but more recent studies suggest that it may also originate from a body representation impairment. Some patients even claim that they require amputation to feel right - which can leave surgeons with quite an ethical and legal minefield.
There are a few patterns in this disorder. Males are more likely to develop apotemnophilia than females. The desired amputations are usually on the left side of the body and, most frequently (though not always), a leg. Variants of the condition can include a desire to remove a sense (i.e., to be blinded) or to experience paralysis.
The underlying causes of this syndrome are poorly understood - but it seems reasonably common. Some research suggests that it occurs in around 16% of college age people, and is more frequent in females than males.
The exact cause of the delusion is unknown, though it may be linked to schizophrenia, dementia or brain trauma. One theory is that the parts of the brain responsible for identifying a person are being overexcited... by constant thoughts about that same person. This leads to "false positive" identifications and the impression of pursuit.
As you might expect, this condition is known to induce feelings of anxiety and paranoia in sufferers - there is no known cure, but medication and therapy can help manage the delusions.
The cause of this syndrome isn't fully understood, but sufferers often have another underlying condition. Some experts think that damage to the areas of the brain dealing with self image and the ability to reason could be behind this delusion.
5. Alice in Wonderland SyndromeThis strange (but usually short-lived) condition distorts visual perception and body image while also altering the perception of time. It can lead to an individual feeling as if they have shrunk or that people (including the sufferer) have become mis-proportioned to the point that they resemble characters from the titular story.
Alice in Wonderland syndrome can be caused by a number of underlying problems, ranging from comparatively minor, such as brain inflammation and migraines, all the way to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Psychologists speculate that up to 30% of the population will experience this at some point in their lives.
The ubiquity of insects and arachnids can make this hard to diagnose - and even harder to treat. One unfortunate sufferer brought in a collection of spider parts she had collected from her home that acted as a red herring and delayed treatment. The same patient was damaging her skin in an attempt to free herself of the imaginary parasites, swilling vinegar in her mouth and applying it to the wounds inflicted by her scratching. She was also applying insecticides to herself, and had been frantically cleaning her house and replacing bedding.
Unfortunately Ekbom syndrome is a delusional condition that cannot be resolved via evidence and argument alone. Whilst patients are usually willing to go seek help with the infestation, they will usually resist visiting a mental health professional.
Despite what you might have expected, those afflicted with this condition are usually not in love with their perceived paramour. This can leave them feeling persecuted by their "lover" and can even give them the perception that they are being stalked!
The term reduplicative paramnesia was first used by neurologist Arnold Pick in 1903, when a patient insisted that the Prague clinic she was being treated in was a duplicate of one in her home town. She denied the evidence of her own eyes that contradicted this view, even claiming that the doctors and staff worked in both locations.
Patients seem to be able to recognize landmarks and places well enough, but experience difficulties in determining where they actually are in relation to themselves. The condition seems related to impaired memory and visuospatial awareness along with executive dysfunction (difficulties in regulating thoughts, emotions and behavior.) The condition also seems physical in nature - it is often accompanied by a brain injury or lesion.
Sufferers typically confabulate (fabricate memories and stories) to explain evidence contrary to their belief. One woman who owned an apartment in Rome claimed the government had given her a second apartment in lieu of money, to explain her belief that the place was duplicated.
- Apotemnophilia: Desire for cosmetic amputation
- Exploding head syndrome: A bomb blast inside the head
- Fregoli delusion: Recognizing strangers as someone in disguise
- Cotard's syndrome: Belief that you are dead or otherwise damaged
- Alice in wonderland syndrome: Experiencing a warped perspective
- Ekbom syndrome: An imaginary infestation
- Erotomania: Belief that someone is madly in love with you
- Reduplicative paramnesia: Belief that a location has been duplicated
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| Some people want to lose a limb, while others think they've died... (Daniel Jensen) |
1. ApotemnophiliaMost humans dread the idea of losing a limb - but sufferers of apotemnophilia desire it. The condition was originally considered a sexually-driven compulsion (and the condition was first identified from a letter to Penthouse magazine.) but more recent studies suggest that it may also originate from a body representation impairment. Some patients even claim that they require amputation to feel right - which can leave surgeons with quite an ethical and legal minefield.
There are a few patterns in this disorder. Males are more likely to develop apotemnophilia than females. The desired amputations are usually on the left side of the body and, most frequently (though not always), a leg. Variants of the condition can include a desire to remove a sense (i.e., to be blinded) or to experience paralysis.
2. Exploding Head Syndrome
Despite the ridiculous name, this is a real syndrome that causes a loud and short-lived hallucination between sleep and wakefulness. Sufferers usually experience a loud sound (perceived as an explosion inside the head) that gives them quite a shock - just like being startled by any other loud noise. There is typically no physical sensation or pain associated with these explosions.The underlying causes of this syndrome are poorly understood - but it seems reasonably common. Some research suggests that it occurs in around 16% of college age people, and is more frequent in females than males.
3. Fregoli Delusion
Named after actor and mimic Leopoldo Fregoli, those afflicted by this delusion believe that they are being followed by a familiar person in a disguise. Random passers-by, emergency service workers and even other known acquaintances can be falsely identified as their pursuer.The exact cause of the delusion is unknown, though it may be linked to schizophrenia, dementia or brain trauma. One theory is that the parts of the brain responsible for identifying a person are being overexcited... by constant thoughts about that same person. This leads to "false positive" identifications and the impression of pursuit.
As you might expect, this condition is known to induce feelings of anxiety and paranoia in sufferers - there is no known cure, but medication and therapy can help manage the delusions.
4. Cotard's Syndrome
Everyone has the odd rough day, but patients experiencing Cotard's syndrome believe that they have lost major internal organs, are dying, or have died. This can lead to some rather aberrant behaviors - such as a 53 year old woman who believed that she was dead, claimed to smell of rotting flesh and wanted to be placed in a morgue.The cause of this syndrome isn't fully understood, but sufferers often have another underlying condition. Some experts think that damage to the areas of the brain dealing with self image and the ability to reason could be behind this delusion.
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| Distorted perception? (JD-Photos) |
Alice in Wonderland syndrome can be caused by a number of underlying problems, ranging from comparatively minor, such as brain inflammation and migraines, all the way to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Psychologists speculate that up to 30% of the population will experience this at some point in their lives.
6. Ekbom Syndrome
Sometimes called delusory parasitosis, those in the grip of Ekbom syndrome believe that they are infested by parasites - ones that they can feel moving on (or even beneath) their skin.The ubiquity of insects and arachnids can make this hard to diagnose - and even harder to treat. One unfortunate sufferer brought in a collection of spider parts she had collected from her home that acted as a red herring and delayed treatment. The same patient was damaging her skin in an attempt to free herself of the imaginary parasites, swilling vinegar in her mouth and applying it to the wounds inflicted by her scratching. She was also applying insecticides to herself, and had been frantically cleaning her house and replacing bedding.
Unfortunately Ekbom syndrome is a delusional condition that cannot be resolved via evidence and argument alone. Whilst patients are usually willing to go seek help with the infestation, they will usually resist visiting a mental health professional.
7. Erotomania
Individuals suffering from erotomania believe that someone (usually of a much higher social status) has fallen madly in love with them. This condition seems to occur much more often in biological females than males - though those males are much more likely to act upon their delusion. This can manifest in a number of ways, ranging from stalking to physical violence.Despite what you might have expected, those afflicted with this condition are usually not in love with their perceived paramour. This can leave them feeling persecuted by their "lover" and can even give them the perception that they are being stalked!
8. Reduplicative Paramnesia
Delusional misidentification syndromes can manifest in many ways. Sufferers of reduplicative paramnesia believe that a location has been duplicated - and thus exists in at least two distinct places at the same time.The term reduplicative paramnesia was first used by neurologist Arnold Pick in 1903, when a patient insisted that the Prague clinic she was being treated in was a duplicate of one in her home town. She denied the evidence of her own eyes that contradicted this view, even claiming that the doctors and staff worked in both locations.
Patients seem to be able to recognize landmarks and places well enough, but experience difficulties in determining where they actually are in relation to themselves. The condition seems related to impaired memory and visuospatial awareness along with executive dysfunction (difficulties in regulating thoughts, emotions and behavior.) The condition also seems physical in nature - it is often accompanied by a brain injury or lesion.
Sufferers typically confabulate (fabricate memories and stories) to explain evidence contrary to their belief. One woman who owned an apartment in Rome claimed the government had given her a second apartment in lieu of money, to explain her belief that the place was duplicated.
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