Clinical lycanthropy: people who believe they transform into animals

This strange phenomenon is linked to a curious type of hallucination: transforming into an animal.

The figure of the werewolf is a classic both in science fiction and in the mythology of different cultures. Since ancient times, human beings have generated figures in which the characteristics of humans and different animals were mixed, considering them from gods (as in ancient Egypt) to products of a curse (in the Middle Ages or even in Ancient Greece).

Also throughout history there have been many people who have claimed to be or transform into an animal, some living in real fear. It is believed that many of these people suffered from a strange mental disorder called lycanthropy. a strange mental disorder called clinical lycanthropy, which we are going to talk about in thiswhich we are going to talk about in this article.

Clinical lycanthropy: basic definition

Clinical lycanthropy or lycanthomania is considered to be a mental disorder characterized mainly by the existence of the hallucination of being or being transformed into an animal.. This hallucination is accompanied by the perception of supposed body changes, many patients noticing how their physical appearance has been changing over time. The shape and size of mouth or teeth or even the sensation that they were shrinking or enlarging has been manifested in several of the registered cases. The period in which these people consider themselves to be transformed varies enormously, and can be between one day and fifteen years.

Clinical lycanthropy is not or need not be limited only to a belief, but they also maintain behaviors also maintain behaviors typical of the animals into which they believe they are transformed.. Among other behaviors, they may move like them (on all fours for example), moan or howl, attack or even feed on raw meat.

A strange and little recognized disorder

We are facing a strange and not very common disorder, of which in fact between 1850 and 2012 one of the authors who has explored the disorder, Blom, has only found thirteen documented cases. Although it is not an internationally recognized disorder, since there are few cases and its symptoms are largely its symptoms are largely attributable to disorders such as schizophrenia or some psychotic outbreaks, some authors have even generated a few cases of the disorder.Some authors have even generated some diagnostic criteria. Among them is the fact that the patient claims to be an animal, assures in a moment of lucidity that sometimes feels like an animal and/or performs typical animal behaviors such as those mentioned above.

It is important to keep in mind that although technically lycanthropy refers to wolves, people suffering from this disorder may believe they are transforming into animals other than wolves. Cases have been detected in which the person believed to be transforming into horses, pigs, cats, birds, toads or even insects such as wasps. In some cases, it has even been recorded that the patient refers to progressively transforming into different creatures until becoming human again.

Lycanthropy throughout history

Although very few modern cases of clinical lycanthropy are considered to be recorded and to meet the criteria stipulated by some authors, the fact is that the belief in werewolves is very old and shared by a large number of cultures. It should be noted that the belief in animistic and totemic elements was much more widespread than today, which explains why most cases and myths date back to ancient times. But not always a spiritual explanation was given to this phenomenon.. In fact, there are records that indicated as early as Byzantine times that there was some kind of mental disturbance behind some of them.

During the Middle Ages, however, many cases of people who considered themselves or were considered by others to be lycanthropes were persecuted and burned, in many cases being considered examples of demonic possession. Despite this even at this time some alleged cases were treated medically (albeit with little success). Probably the high degree of belief in supernatural elements facilitated the spread of the werewolf myth and this may have had an impact on the appearance of a greater number of cases.

However, scientific advances and the progressive decline of beliefs regarding magic and spirits made it less and less frequent to believe in the possibility of being possessed and/or being able to transmute into an animal. The cases of lycanthropy have been decreasing over the years, probably for this reason.

The causes of this mental alteration

Clinical lycanthropy is a very rare disorder, with very few cases found worldwide. It is for this reason that research on this affectation is minimalThere are no really contrasted theories about the factors that may cause it.

However, the presence of neurological lesions and cognitive impairment associated with the evolution of different diseases (including dementias) could be one of the possible causes: Although the number of known cases of clinical lycanthropy is scarce, in two of them some researchers have been able to obtain images of their brain and records of their brain functioning. The brain records of these two subjects seem to indicate that at times when they believe they are transforming there is an anomalous pattern in their brain functioning. With regard to the information obtained by neuroimaging, we have observed the presence of alterations in the regions of the brain that process proprioception and sensory perception, with the and sensory perception, being the somatosensory cortex altered.

Other authors have argued throughout history that this alteration may be due to some kind of remnant of sociocultural evolution as a species, being frequent in ancient cultures to imitate the wolf or other animals with the purpose of obtaining their associated characteristics (strength, speed, fierceness) in order to benefit our survival. Those who have such hallucination could be unconsciously seeking to acquire the qualities of the animals they hallucinate, as a way of coping with situations of frustration or stress..

Psychoanalysis has also explored the view of transformation as the fact of ceasing to be what we are, such hallucination being a form of avoidance of guilt or coping with conflicts. It could also arise as a mental maximization of the bodily changes that we experience throughout our evolutionary development.

Disorders with which it is associated

Although lycanthropy or clinical lycanthropy has special characteristics in relation to other disorders (such as the affectation of the cerebral areas that regulate proprioception), it is possible to consider it as a part or symptom of other mental and neurological disorders..

The disorder with which it has been most frequently associated is the presence of schizophrenia, although the hallucinations in this disorder are usually auditory and not so much kinesthetic and haptic as in lycanthropy. Another condition with which it is associated is chronic delusional disorder. In general, it is considered a psychotic-type disorder. In addition, it has been associated with manic episodes, in which different types of hallucinations may appear.

Bibliographical references

• Blom, J.D. (2014). When doctors cry wolf: a systematic review of the literature on clinical lycanthropy. History of Psychiatry, 25 (1).
• Díaz-Rosales, J.D.; Romo, J.E. & Loera, O.F. (2008). Mitos y ciencia: Licantroía clínica y hombres lobo. Bol.Mex.His.Fil.Med; 11 (2).