Pica: A Strange Urge To Eat Things That Are Not Food

You have probably heard of people who have a strange urge to eat objects or substances that are not food, and things that would ordinarily be considered disgusting. Some of these people have a weird craving to eat chalk or dirt, but others have a more bizarre urge to eat feces, hair or even glass. This eating disorder is often seen in children, some pregnant women, and adults confined to mental institutes. The specific cause is unknown, but some factors are associated with it, including nutritional deficiency, stress, cultural factors, and low socioeconomic status. Psychological factors that have been linked to pica include maternal deprivation, parental neglect or separation, child abuse, and lack of parent-child interaction.

This is a potentially serious health problem, because indiscriminate ingestion of toxic substances, contaminated objects, or even physically harmful objects that may cause ulceration, perforation, or obstruction in the digestive tract may occur.

However, the condition may persist in people with mental and developmental disabilities.

Patient education, involvement of the family, psychosocial support, and treatment of nutritional deficiencies are part of the management of affected individuals.

Morgellon's Disease

This is a rare skin condition characterized by a feeling that there is something constantly crawling, biting or stinging a person's skin, leading him to scratch incessantly. The weird sensation can result in skin lesions and disturbance of sleep. However, clinical evaluation and laboratory tests will not show any parasite or unusual bug in the skin. Although the condition is similar to a psychiatric condition called delusional parasitosis, where one has a false belief about parasitic infestation of the skin, more research is needed to find out the cause of this condition.

Affected patients need compassionate treatment, which includes treatment of skin lesions, treatment of anxiety and depression, and giving a thorough evaluation of the patient's condition.

Cotard Syndrome

Also called Cotard delusion, this rare psychiatric condition makes a person think he does not exist, or that he is dead and decaying, or that one or more of his body parts is missing. The condition is usually seen in patients who have another psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or chronic depression. It may also exist in people who suffer from chronic migraines, brain tumors or trauma. Affected individuals may see their body parts but believe it is not there. Treatment of the underlying condition improves their symptoms.

Alien Hand Syndrome

The action of the hand is uncontrollable and involuntary. Although this condition can lead to self-injury, it is often not serious.

See Also: Pica: Not Your Usual Eating Disorder

This freaky condition has been seen to occur in patients who have suffered some type of brain injury from a stroke or epilepsy, as well as degenerative brain conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease. If it occurs following an acute condition such as a stroke or head injury, it may spontaneously improve after about a year. However, if it is associated with a degenerative brain disorder, it may persist for life.

There is no known medical treatment, but preventive measures may be done, such as modifying a patient's environment to avoid grabbing on to harmful objects, wearing a mitten on the affected hand, and warm water application.