People with walking corpse syndrome, also known as Cotard syndrome; they feel like they are dead, they believe they are dead, or they continue to live by accepting that they are dead.
There are even cases of people spending their time in cemeteries. Let’s take a closer look at the details of the interesting case and what kind of disorder walking corpse syndrome is.
It is not known exactly what causes the syndrome or how to treat it.
Although there is no definitive treatment for the syndrome, severe cases are kept under observation, while other patients can be treated with medication and electric shocks to the brain. Since its frequency is as rare as 0.57%, we do not have enough cases and therefore nothing can be said for sure about what causes the disorder.
However, researchers; He says that the average age of people with the syndrome is 50, it can also be seen in children and teenagers, people under the age of 25 tend to have bipolar depression, and women are more prone to the disorder.
It rises with the symptom of “nihilism”.
One of the main symptoms of walking corpse syndrome, also known as living dead syndrome, is nihilism. Nihilism is the belief that nothing has value or meaning. People with walking corpse syndrome also feel as if they are dead or rotting.
Sometimes, they may even feel like they never existed. Some people feel this way about their entire body, while others may only feel it about certain organs, limbs, or even their soul.
Walking corpse syndrome is closely related to depression.
A 2011 review of available research on Cotard syndrome notes that 89% of documented cases include depression as a symptom.
Other symptoms are as follows:
- Anxiety
- hallucinations
- Hypochondria
- Guilt
- Thoughts of self-harm or death
If we list some of the psychological disorders and diseases that can cause the emergence of walking corpse syndrome:
- Bipolar disorder
- postpartum depression
- catatonia
- depersonalization disorder
- dissociative disorder
- psychotic depression
- Schizophrenia
In addition, it may be associated with neurological conditions. We can list some of these neurological conditions as follows:
- brain infections
- Glioma
- dementia
- Epilepsy
- Migraine
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s
- Paralysis
- traumatic brain injuries
According to a case reported by United Academics, a man named Graham, who has walking corpse syndrome, spent his time in cemeteries.
Graham was a man who spent most of his time in the cemetery. His visits lasted so long that the police would find him there among the tombstones and bring him back home. He suffered from severe depression and had attempted suicide by bringing an electrical appliance to the bathroom. Graham believed he was brain dead and lived a kind of half-life. His trips to the cemetery were the closest connection he could make with death.
When he went to the doctor, he said, “I came to prove that I’m dead.” He said he didn’t need to eat or sleep. They have the ability to see, hear, think, remember and communicate; She also conveyed that she believed her mind should be alive. He couldn’t explain how his mind could be alive if his brain was dead, but he was sure that was the case.
When they looked into Graham’s brain, they found something they couldn’t believe.
The researchers scanned Graham’s brain to see if anything unusual happened, and what they found was incredible. Most of the frontal cortex was closed. Graham had a fairly low metabolic rate. He was almost asleep.
Laureys, one of the doctors who looked after the man, said: “Graham’s brain function is similar to someone’s during anesthesia or sleep. Seeing this pattern in an awake person is something unique to my knowledge.” he was saying.
We may learn more about walking corpse syndrome in the future.
The antidepressants Graham took may explain some of this metabolic shutdown, but the rest cannot. If the cases increase, we may know more about the issue, but that’s all the data we have for now.
Sources: Healthline, Smithsonianmag
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