There is a wide variety of mental disorders, each with different characteristics, but which are generally associated with alterations in thinking such as hallucinations, behavior, emotions and the way in which these people relate to others. There are many causes that can generate mental disorders, the main ones being genes, family history, stress, abuse or trauma to the head. Mental illnesses can be bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, dementia, or other psychoses. Among this wide variety of disorders stands out one called Cotard’s syndrome, a very complex and little known disorder. In this FastlyHealarticle we will talk about this strange condition called Cortad Syndrome: causes, symptoms and treatment .
Table of Contents
What is Cotard syndrome
Cotard syndrome or also called ” delusion of denial ” or “nihilistic” is a very strange mental disorder in which the person who suffers it questions his existence and believes he is dead . It is highly related to hypochondriacs, so they believe that their organs, limbs, including themselves are dead. Patients with this rare syndrome suffer from a series of nonsense hallucinations or mental delusions that are usually related to death.
What are the causes of Cotard syndrome
Currently , the origin or a specific cause for the appearance of this strange syndrome is not known. However, experts have found that it is related to some alterations in the brain or psychiatric disorders associated with other diseases.
The experts demonstrated in some studies that people with Cotard syndrome have dysfunction in two areas of the brain, the area that intervenes with facial recognition and the area of the brain associated with emotions, it is because of this dysfunction that patients stop feeling emotions and more when looking in the mirror, which will produce a disconnection from reality and the feeling of being dead.
It should be taken into account that as it is a psychiatric disorder, it can be related to other problems such as severe depression or other mental disorders such as schizophrenia , psychosis, hypochondriacs, among others, that is, its appearance arises as a consequence of other mental disorders.
Its appearance has also been observed in people with alterations in the intensity of their emotions, at least those very negative individuals can generate this disorder.
What are the symptoms of Cotard Syndrome
People who suffer from this delusion tend to deny their existence and therefore that of their body, they even think that their organs do not work and are rotten, to the point that they can hallucinate with the smell of putrefaction. In addition to all this, there are a number of symptoms that appear in people who suffer from this condition. These are the main symptoms of Cotard Syndrome :
- Hallucinations or delusions
- They feel that under their skin there are worms, because they believe that their body is in a state of putrefaction.
- The person does not feel the need to feed because he claims to be dead.
- Sometimes they also believe they are immortal.
- Person with poor personal hygiene for the same reason stated.
- You think or hallucinate that you are running out of blood.
- Anxiety.
- Depression .
- Inability to relate to others.
- They do not recognize flavors or odors.
- They do not experience emotions.
What is the treatment for Cotard Syndrome
It is emphasized that if you believe or have a family member or acquaintance who may suffer from Cotard syndrome, it is essential to put them in contact with the specialists in charge of the area, for this the neurologists and psychiatrists put their knowledge into action . These specialists will be in charge of determining the pertinent treatment for this condition.
The treatment applied to this type of people is generally never simple, so a suitable combination must be tested and achieved, the treatment is frequently based on medications, for this, drugs such as antipsychotics or antidepressants , such as antipsychotics or antidepressants , must be administered. case of mirtrazapine or like olanzapine.
However, the treatment will depend on each case , because there is no specific one for this syndrome, so sometimes it must be combined with others in order to achieve success. On the other hand, it can be considered an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) that consists of applying an electrical current to treat problems such as depression or any mental illness.
It should be taken into account that it is a condition that is not easy to treat, so you must be patient and consider that it will only improve the problem, but not completely heal it. This is also because, as it is a rare condition, it has not been fully investigated.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cotard Syndrome: causes, symptoms and treatment , we recommend that you enter our category of Mental Disorders .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.