Some of the most bizarre diseases and disorders among human beings have long been a source of fascination for people. Writers and movie makers have found inspiration for their work from some of these most bizarre conditions that humans are seen to have:
Pica: This is an abnormal desire that some people have for eating non edible items. These could include metal objects, clay, chalk, paper, coal, soil, feces, ash, gum, mucus, soap etc.
Some others desire edible items in uncooked form, such as flour, rice, potatoes, salt, starch or ice cubes. Though Pica is seen in people of all ages, it may be more prevalent in pregnant women and children; more particularly those with developmental disabilities.
Blue Skin Disorder: This disorder is caused either due to poor circulation or due to exposure to or ingesting of silver. The former type of Blue Skin Disorder is found among people who have inbred excessively or have an enzyme deficiency.
When the disorder is caused by exposure to silver, it causes the person’s skin to take on a blue cast as the silver accumulates in the body. One famous person with the disorder was Paul Karason who even went on the Oprah show to talk about his condition.
Human Werewolf Syndrome or hypertrichosis: This is a disorder that surely was the basis for a lot of Hollywood horror movies. It is characterized by extreme Hirsutism in the entire body or only certain areas.
Whereas earlier sufferers would be displayed as circus freaks, it is now understood that the disorder could be either congenital (present at birth or acquired due to effects of certain medications, associations with cancer, and caused possibly by eating disorders).
Cotard delusion or Cotard’s syndrome: This is where people believe themselves to be dead. They think they are rotting that they have lost their internal organs and blood.
They feel as though worms are feasting on their remains. This is a very rare disorder that could be found in people with extreme cases of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
It could also be caused by an injury such as in an accident, malnutrition or drug abuse. This is also known as the Walking corpse syndrome and sufferers may even reek of putrefying flesh!
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: This is a disorienting neurological condition that impacts perception. It is not the eyes malfunctioning but the brain that perceive things to be different than they actually are.
There may be size distortion caused by headaches or certain kinds of swelling. Perhaps Jonathan Swift had this disorder when he wrote Gulliver’s Travels.
