Autocannibalism (disease): Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Possibly most people know someone who bites their nails. They often do it in situations of nervousness or stress, as a way to relax and reduce tension. Other people pull out, chew, and even eat their own hair.
Others self-harm. Although it is not a frequent phenomenon, occasionally cases have been detected of individuals who, for various reasons, which may or may not involve anxiety reduction, decide to attack and consume parts of their own flesh, causing injuries of varying importance. We are talking about autocannibalism.
Cannibalism is the act or practice of consuming and feeding on members of the same species.. This practice has been observed in nature in various species, generally in the prolonged absence of other types of food or as a method of population control.
In humans, cases of cannibalism have also been seen throughout history. In many cases these practices have also resulted from a lack of food. It is known, for example, that during the Black Death epidemic that devastated Europe during the Middle Ages, many tombs were looted in order to consume the flesh of the deceased. On other occasions these practices are linked to religious rituals, such as in different African and South American tribes.
Some drugs or psychotic episodes can cause aggression that culminates in an attempt to feed on the opponent. There have also been cases in which acts of cannibalism have derived from sadistic paraphilias, in some cases accepted by the victims and even devouring their own organs.
Finally It has been used intentionally as a way to terrorize and morally destroy a target population.both at the idea of being consumed and at being forced to consume human flesh.
Feeding on one’s own flesh
Thus, as mentioned, cannibalism refers to the consumption of meat from individuals of the species itself. However, there are cases in which the cannibalistic act is directed towards the person who consumes it.
Autocannibalism differs from the practice of cannibalism in that, as a general rule, the objective of the behavior is not usually directed at the consumption of human flesh, but rather tends to be linked to an attempt to reduce anxiety and internal tension of those who carry it out or to temporarily free themselves from feelings of self-rejection or emotional suffering. Autocannibalism is not registered as a disorder in itself, being rather the result or manifestation of some type of problem.
In what contexts does autocannibalism appear?
Like other types of self-injurious behavior, This type of behavior is usually linked to the presence of severe cognitive and perceptual alterations.. Subjects who practice them tend to have alterations in consciousness or diminished cognitive capacity.
Some of the cases detected are usually linked to serious cases of disorders that cause a deterioration in cognitive capacity and consciousness itself. In situations that produce a high level of activation, agitation and impulsivity in the subject, self-harming behaviors occasionally appear (including self-cannibalism in the form of self-biting), generally as a mechanism to control anguish and internal tension.
It sometimes occurs in individuals with intellectual disabilities, some severe cases of neurodevelopmental disorders (self-harm has occurred in some cases of autism). Likewise, autocannibalism can occur during psychotic breaks or in people who suffer from intoxication by psychodysleptic substances (hallucinogens, for example) or psychoanaleptic substances (exciting substances).
These behaviors have also been observed as a method of calming in some withdrawal syndromes.. There have even been cases in some personality disorders, such as borderline personality.
Finally, this type of behavior has been observed in some subjects who link self-harm and consumption of their own body to sexual pleasure, resulting from sadomasochistic paraphilias. An example of this is found in the case of the Rottemburg cannibal, whose victim agreed to eat parts of his body before being devoured.
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
In addition to appearing in situations and disorders such as those mentioned above, there is a medical syndrome in which acts of autocannibalism are relatively frequent, which has earned it the popular name of the disease of autocannibalism. This is Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.
This disorder of genetic origin, linked to a defect in a recessive gene on the X chromosome, causes the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyl-transferase. It tends to cause hyperproduction of uric acid, neurological dysfunctions that usually cause intellectual disability and behavioral alterations.
Within these behavioral alterations, the presence of constant self-injury stands out, including acts of autocannibalism focused on biting parts of the body that they can reach, especially fingers and lips. It appears only in men, although women can be carriers and transmit it to their offspring.
Possible treatments
Taking into account that these are symptoms rather than a disorder itself, The treatment of autocannibalism will often be linked to the type of problem that causes it.. It is necessary to take into account the reason why the self-harm is carried out and the degree of consciousness of the individual who carries it out at the time of doing it.
On a psychological level, the use of different behavior modification techniques can be useful. One of the techniques used to treat self-harming behaviors such as autocannibalism is dialectical behavioral therapy, through which it seeks to modify behavior while trying to get the subject to change the type of relationship they maintain with the condition that causes this type of behavior.
Other types of therapies, such as conditioning in the form of reinforcement by emitting incompatible behaviors, could be helpful in varying the type of behavior in cases where autocannibalism is a response to anxiety-inducing situations.
If the autocannibal act occurs for sexual reasons The use of techniques focused on redirecting the desire toward another type of stimulation and reducing the attractiveness of autocannibal behavior may be indicated.. Although it is not a type of treatment that is generally recommended, in very serious cases aversive chemical techniques may be applied, which cause the subject to reject the act of self-harm and attempt to consume their own meat.
If, for example, the self-cannibal practice is derived from substance consumption or a psychotic outbreak, treatment must first be aimed at controlling the outbreak or intoxication in question and reducing its symptoms.
