The Disorder Which Turns People Into Wolves
Whenever the word ‘werewolf’ pops up in conversations, we are probably reminded of Scott McCall’s life-changing transformation in ‘Teen Wolf’ or the excruciating shapeshifting of Tyler Lockwood in ‘The Vampire Diaries’. But of course, all these fictional characters remain confined to our imagination, never breaking free of the cage of literary creativity. But what if I tell you, that wolf-men can actually be real? Or more precisely, that there have been over 43 instances of people since 1852, who believed that they were transforming into wolves?
The term for this phenomenon is lycanthropy, blossoming from two Greek words- ‘lykos’ meaning ‘wolf’ and ‘anthropos’, meaning ‘man’. It can be defined as a mental condition where a person believes himself to be a wolf. The first such bewildering case report of Lycanthropy was published in the year 1852. This report focused on the elaborate description of a man who was so obstinately convinced that he was a wolf that he had to be admitted into an asylum in France. According to Greek mythology, the term lycanthropy is derived from the name of ‘King Lycaon’, who reigned over ancient Arcadia and possessed the tendency of turning into a wolf.
The instances mentioned so far would be sure to stir curiosity in readers, rendering them to question what exactly causes this mysterious occurrence. Although there is no single, rigid cause of this disorder, there are several assumptions, as listed below, that have the potential to trigger it.
Existing Mental Conditions
Researchers who worked on Lycanthropy believe that it is linked to other mental health syndromes like schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), psychotic depression, etc.
Delusional Misidentification Syndrome
Many believe it to sprout from Delusional Misidentification Syndrome or DMS. It refers to a cluster of disorders where patients are unable to recognize objects which were initially familiar to them. DMS can be caused by the intake of drugs, brain injury, impairment of memory, and so forth.
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Mismatch Between Brain and Self-perception
Lycanthropy can also be a consequence of an inaccurate relationship between one’s brain and self-image, which can be caused by difficulty in processing information through one’s senses.
Cenesthopathy
Cenesthopathy is also one probable cause of this disorder, where people experience peculiar sensations in their body, that cannot be explained medically.
Bestiality
This is the process of using an animal as a medium for fulfilling one’s sexual desires. These kinds of sexual encounters evoke obsessive thoughts in the minds of the individuals about turning into an animal, which ultimately distorts their self-image and initiates Lycanthropy.
Lycanthropy or Lycomania is one of the rarest and astonishingly interesting phenomena. However, even if only a few cases of this condition have been detected so far, its causes are still in the phase of being intensively researched, and articulated.
Article by,
Gargi Goswami
This article has been written and shared as a part of my internship with KRSH Welfare Foundation.
