Self-cannibalism: causes, symptoms and treatment

Possibly most people know someone who bites their nails. It is common for them to do so in situations of nervousness or stress, as a way to relax and reduce tension. Other people pull, chew, and even eat their own hair.

Others self-harm. Although it is not a frequent phenomenon, on occasions cases of individuals have been detected who, for various reasons, who may pass or Not because of the reduction in anxiety, they decide to attack and consume parts of their own flesh, causing injuries of variable importance. We are talking about self-cannibalism.

Cannibalism and self-cannibalism

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 been derived from the 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 meat of the deceased. On other occasions these practices are linked to religious rituals, as in different African and South American tribes.

some drugs or psychotic episodes they can even provoke an aggression that culminates in an attempt to feed on the opponent. There have also been cases in which acts of cannibalism have been 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 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 they belong to. However, there are cases in which the cannibal act is directed towards the person who consumes it.

Self-cannibalism 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 meat, but rather tends to be linked to an attempt to reduce anxiety and internal tension of the one who carries it out or temporarily free themselves from feelings of self-rejection or emotional suffering. Autocannibalism does not appear registered as a disorder by itself, being rather the result or manifestation of some type of problem.

In what contexts does self-cannibalism 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 altered consciousness or decreased cognitive ability.

Some of the cases detected are usually linked to serious cases of disorders that occur with a deterioration of cognitive capacity and of one's own consciousness. In situations that produce a high level of activation, agitation and impulsivity in the subject, behaviors occasionally appear self-injurious (including self-cannibalism in the form of self-bites) generally as a mechanism to control anxiety and tension internal.

It occasionally occurs in individuals with intellectual disabilities, some severe cases of neurodevelopmental disorders (self-harm has occurred in some cases of autism). Likewise, self-cannibalism can occur during psychotic episodes or in people suffering from a intoxication by psychodysleptic substances (hallucinogenic, for example) or psychoanaleptic (exciting).

These behaviors have also been observed as a method of calming down 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 organism to sexual pleasure, deriving from sadomasochistic paraphilias. An example of this is found in the case of the rottenburg cannibal, whose victim agreed to eat parts of his body before being eaten.

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 the autocannibalism. Its about 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 often cause intellectual disability and behavioral disturbances.

Among these behavioral alterations, the presence of constant self-harm stands out, among them acts of self-cannibalism centered 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 pass it on to their offspring.

possible treatments

Taking into account that it is a symptom 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 for the self-injury and the degree of consciousness of the individual who performs it at the time of doing it.

At the psychological level, the use of different behavior modification techniques can be useful. One of the techniques used to treat self-injurious behaviors such as self-cannibalism is dialectical behavioral therapy, through which carry out a modification of the behavior while trying to make the subject change the type of relationship that he maintains with the condition that causes him this type of behaviors.

Another type of therapy such as conditioning in the form of reinforcement by the emission of incompatible behaviors could be of help in order to vary the type of behavior in cases in which self-cannibalism is a response to situations anxiogenic.

If the self-cannibal act occurs for sexual reasons the use of focused techniques may be indicated to redirect the desire towards another type of stimulation and reduce the attractiveness of self-cannibalistic behavior. Although it is not a generally recommended type of treatment, in very serious cases techniques may be applied. chemical aversives, which cause a rejection in the subject of self-harm and attempting to consume their own meat.

If, for example, the autocannibal practice derives from the consumption of substances or from a psychotic break, the treatment must be directed in the first place to control the outbreak or intoxication in question and reduce its symptoms.