Psychological disorders are normal in this extremely occupied world where none of us seem to have the time to divert to our mental health. However, some disorders are so weird that you might not even believe in their existence.
Here are the top 15 weirdest psychological disorders
1. Walking Corpse Syndrome
Walking Corpse Syndrome is a very rare mental disorder in which the person suffering from this believes that he/she is dead or has no existence at all. Two main beliefs are considered to be the origins of this disorder. The first one is where one denies one’s self-existence and the second one is delusional to consider oneself immortal.
2. Todd’s Syndrome
It is a disorienting neuropsychological condition that directly affects perception. This disorder results in having distortions in the visual perception, which results in objects appearing much small than they are, larger than they are, further than they are, or nearer than they are.
One of the reasons that can lead to this syndrome is exposure to excessive electricity as it results in blood disruptions. It is also the reason for severe migraine and brain tumors. Till now, no standard treatment has come up for this disorder.
3. Fregoli Delusion
Fregoli Delusion is an uncommon disorder in which the patient believes that different people are only one person changing their disguise. A person suffering from this disorder can have trouble remembering places or objects. One of the major reasons for this disorder is traumatic brain injury since it can damage the associative nodes. Pharmacotherapy is the only treatment available for it.
4. Capgras Delusion
Capgras Delusion is a disorder in which the patient believes that a friend, spouse, family member, or any other close person has been replaced by an impostor. It is one of the rarest syndromes. This syndrome includes one thing in general, that is, the misidentification of people, places, or objects.
5. Stendhal Syndrome
Stendhal syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder. This results in people’s sudden rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion, and even hallucinations when they experience great personal importance. Scientists are still debating whether this disorder is the only reason that causes the effects mentioned above.
6. Autophagia
Autophagia is a disorder in which the patient starts to eat his/her part of the body. The patient does this under some very severe need or a sense of arousal, and this person experiences a sense of relief when committing the act. After the patient does this activity, the patient may or may not feel regret or guilt. No standard treatment procedure is known yet. Autophagia is something that differs from patient to patient.
7. Dissociative Identity Disorder
It is most commonly heard as a Multiple Personality Disorder. In this, the patient’s mind switches between at least two different personalities. The behavior of such patients is highly unlikely to be predicted as the patient switches modes from one identity to another. In most cases, the main part has been determined to be childhood trauma. Sometimes genetic factors have also been determined to be the reason for the cause. This disorder often leads to controversial subjects between psychiatry and legal matters. Supportive care and counseling are the only treatments that are available in this case.
8. Koro Syndrome
Koro Syndrome is a disorder in which the patient has a paranoid belief that his genitals are shrinking and will disappear. It is also called a shrinking penis. Personality factors and sexual conflicts are some origins that eventually lead to Koro Syndrome. Anxiety plays an important role in amplifying the fear and, thus, the intensity of the disorder to a much greater extent. Patients with Koro syndrome are treated with psychotherapy, where reassurance is provided and also sexual anatomy is explained to them to lessen their worries and anxieties.
9. Erotomania
Erotomania is not very uncommon, where the patient becomes delusional that another person is in love with them. It is usually evident in reserved, shy females who are sexually inexperienced. In most cases, it is seen that some of the patients hold a deceased or a person they had never met to the other end of the spectrum. Treatments for these disorders differ greatly from patient to patient.
10. Othello Syndrome
Othello Syndrome, probably the name seeks some inspiration from the play Othello. It is also known as Pathological jealousy, and in this, the patient is always occupied with the thought that his/her spouse is being unfaithful to him/her without having any logical reason to support their feeling.
11. Boanthropy
Boanthropy is a psychological disorder that results in a belief in humans that they are Bovine. Bovines consist of ten medium to large ungulates, including cattle, bison, buffalo, water buffalos, and 4 horned and spiral-horned antelopes. People indulge so much in their Bovine character that they behave like them, eat like bovine animals, and even walk like them on fours.
12. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a disorder in which the patient cannot control his/her thoughts and eventually lets the thoughts control his/her actions. This disorder includes symptoms such as wanting to have things straight or in a specific manner, constantly checking the gas or light switches and more. Psychotherapy is the treatment along with medications that can help cure them. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can range from mild to extreme cases.
13. Alien Hand Syndrome
Alien Hand Syndrome is a common disorder in which a patient’s limbs seem to act independently of the patient’s entire body. The patient often touches and moves his/her limbs without much thinking or without having any intention to. There is no known treatment for Alien Hand Syndrome. The best option is to keep the Alien Hand occupied with other tasks, like holding an object.
14. Abulomania
Abulomania is a mental disorder in which a patient is incapable of making decisions. It typically includes anxiety, stress, depression, and many more. Although many people have difficulty making decisions, the extent of this disorder is rare. Abulomania causes the patients to overanalyze even the smallest of things or situations. Psychotherapy is a good method to start treatment for this disorder.
15. Hemispatial Neglect
Hemispatial neglect is when the person finds it hard to pay attention to half of his/her surroundings. Brain damage is the one main cause of this disorder. Treating this disorder involves finding ways to bring the patient’s attention toward the left, often done incrementally. This disorder is treated by neuropsychologists, therapists, and speech-language pathologists.