Good day fellow steemians, hope we are all having a good time.
Last time I discussed one of the world rare syndrome (Alice in wonderland) in my blog. Today,s topic has to do with another rare syndrome in the world that most of us might not know exist(the walking corps syndrome).
2.THE WALKING CORPSE SYNDROME The walking corpse syndrome is also known as cotard syndrome which was named after a French neurologist called Dr. Jules Cotard because he was the first doctor to described perfectly describes walking corpse syndrome as délire des negations’ or nihilistic delusions (delusion of self negation) in 1880.
This syndrome is a rare mysterious condition that leaves people feeling like they are dead, or parts of their body no longer exist. Victims of this syndrome believe that they have no blood in their blood vessels, they have a missing body parts or organs such as heart, lungs and kidney and also consider themselves dead or immortal even Though they are very much alive and have complete organs. This syndrome prevent the victims from living with other people because of the delusion of self negation which prevent the victims from taking care of their physical health and personal hygiene.
CASES OF COTARD SYNDROME
over (hundred) 100 cases have been documented since the French neurologist's discovery.
One of the known cases is the case of one of Dr. Jules cotard patient whom he confidencially nicknamed mademoiselle X. Mademoiselle X was a sufferer of walking corpse syndrome who didn't see the reason to eat because she believed she had lost most of her vital organs and body parts, such as the chest, brain, intestines and stomach and also felt that she was dead and eternally damned. Eventually she died of starvation.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF WALKING CORPSE SYNDROME
The walking corpse syndrome have three stages of development.
1.The first stage is the GERMINATION STAGE. In this first stage, the patient tend to have symptoms associated with psychotic depression and excessive fear or worry over illness or being unwell even after medical treatment.
2.The second stage is called THE BLOOMING STAGE. This is the development stage in which the patient experience excessive anxiety, self negation and delusion of being dead.
3.The last stage is the CHRONIC STAGE. in this stage, the delusions become more severe.
SYMPTOMS OF COTARD SYNDROME
• Victims of cotard syndrome have feelings of anxiety in the initial stages.
• feelings of depression
• insensitivity to pain
• victims of cotard syndrome cannot recognise their own face
• victims have distorted view of the wold, lack interest in social life and pleasure
• victims of this syndrome experience loss of sense of reality and neglection of personal hygiene
• they usually have feelings of being dead or immortal, belief of being eternally damned or possessed and belief of having missing organs and body parts.
• suicidal and body mutations.
DIAGNOSES OF COTARD SYNDROME
Cotard Syndrome can be diagnosed based on the history of the patient and symptoms. Tests such as blood test, computed tomography scan (CTS), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are used for proper diagnosis.
TREATMENT OF COTARD SYNDROME
The following can be used for treatment of walking corpse syndrome/cotard syndrome
- Antidepressants medication
- Mood stabilizers medication
- Electroconvulsive therapy.