11 Craziest Mental Disorders
Dr. Strangelove syndrome: hands with a life of its
own
Alien hand syndrome (or Dr. Strangelove syndrome) is a neurological
disorder in which one of the sufferer's hands seems to take on a
life of its own.
Sometimes the sufferer will not be aware of what the hand is doing
until it is brought to his or her attention. Alien hands can
perform complex acts such as undoing buttons or removing
clothing.
Foreign accent syndrome: speaking your language with an
accent
The syndrome causes people to speak their native language as if
they had a foreign accent; for example, an American native speaker
might speak with a French-sounding accent. It usually follows a
severe brain injury, such as a stroke.
Capgras' syndrome: believing there's an impostor in the
family
The Capgras delusion or Capgras' syndrome is a rare disorder in
which a person holds a delusional belief that an acquaintance,
usually a close family member or spouse, has been replaced by an
identical looking imposter.
Triskaidekaphobia: fear of the number 13.
Adolf Hitler was triskaidekaphobic. A specific fear of Friday the
13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.
Tetraphobia is the fear of the number 4 in China, Japan, and
Korea.
Bigorexia: working out too much
Bigorexia or Muscle dysmorphia is a disorder in which an individual
becomes obsessed that they are not muscular enough. Sometimes
referred to as bigorexia or reverse anorexia nervosa, it is a very
specific case of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
Muscle dysmorphia can cause individuals to:
- Constantly check themselves in a mirror
- Become distressed if a gym session is missed
- Take potentially dangerous drugs (e.g. anabolic steroids)
- Neglecting jobs/relationships/family due to exercising
Bibliomania: collecting too many books
Bibliomania is an obsessive-compulsive disorder involving the
collecting of books to the point where social relations or health
are damaged. The purchase of multiple copies of the same book and
edition and the accumulation of books beyond possible capacity of
use or enjoyment are frequent symptoms of bibliomania.
Exploding head syndrome: a loud noise in the
head
It causes the sufferer to occasionally experience a tremendously
loud noise as if from within his or her own head, usually described
as an explosion or a roar. This usually occurs within an hour or
two of falling asleep, but is not the result of a dream.
Trichotillomania: urge to pull out scalp
hair
Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder characterised by
the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, beard hair,
nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows or other body hair. It may be
distantly related to obsessive-compulsive disorder, with which it
shares both similarities and differences.
Androphobia: fear of men
Androphobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of men. Sufferers of
this disorder experience anxiety even though they realize they may
face no real threat. Androphobia is one of infinite possible
phobias, and as such can be traced back to a specific triggering
event, usually a traumatic experience at an early age.
Munchausen syndrome: faking illnesses to gain
attention
In Munchausen syndrome, the sufferer feigns, exaggerates, or
creates symptoms of illnesses in himself or herself in order to
gain attention, sympathy, and comfort from medical personnel. The
role of "patient" is a familiar and comforting one, and it fills a
psychological need in people with Munchausen's.
Celebriphilia: pathological desire to have sex with a
Celebrity
Celebriphilia is an abnormally intense desire to have a romantic
and/or sexual relationship with a celebrity.
(source: Too Much Time To
Spare)
