Woman who falls into a dreamy and possessed state when the full moon rises, diagnosed with rare disease
A case has been reported of a woman who turns into a different person every time the full moon rises.
When the woman, a 55-year-old housewife living in India, developed symptoms, her behavior became strange, her voice sounded different from usual, she sat in an abnormally rigid posture and sobbed uncontrollably. His family reported that he looked like he was possessed by something. Symptoms began without any symptoms and lasted for up to two hours.
The patient also showed symptoms such as frequent headaches, low mood, difficulty performing daily tasks, difficulty sleeping, and withdrawn behavior. There was no history of substance abuse, and symptoms most commonly appeared during a full moon, but could occur at any time.
This woman, who had been receiving alternative medicine for seven years and was brought to the hospital by her daughter, received normal results in liver, kidney, and brain tests. However, a psychiatric examination revealed that he had been suffering from depression since adolescence, and the patient also mentioned that he was suffering from low energy, feelings of despair, and social withdrawal.
Based on the patient’s behavior and test results, the medical staff diagnosed the patient with dysthymia, a mild form of depression, and trance and possession disorder (TPD). The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) defines TPD as ‘an experience in which an individual’s sense of self-identity is replaced by an external possessed identity, and the individual’s actions or movements are controlled by the possessed subject. ‘It is explained.
The woman started taking antidepressants and received psychotherapy once a week. Over the next few months, the patient’s condition gradually improved and the number of symptoms decreased.
“Psychotherapy played an important role in helping patients understand the connection between the patient’s depressive tendencies and the occurrence of dream states,” said the medical staff at Datta Mege Institute of Higher Education in India, who published this case in the international academic journal Cureus. “The patient suffered from stress and emotional stimulation.” “I learned effective strategies and techniques to manage triggers, which contributed to the patient’s overall well-being.” He also added, “If treatment is delayed due to the stigma surrounding TPD, the patient’s symptoms may worsen.”
TPD is a rare disease where estimates of how many people suffer from it are unknown. According to the case authors, patients suffering from this disease have extremely narrowed or lost awareness of their surroundings, resulting in a lack of responsiveness and an inability to control the movements of their limbs or fingers and toes.
A similar case was reported in Poland in 2022. The woman, who was a Roman Catholic, sometimes had trouble controlling her sexual urges and experienced changes in consciousness. The patient also underwent an exorcism ceremony before visiting the hospital. The medical staff who reported this case advised patients not to use the word ‘possession’, saying it could place ‘the burden of social consequences’ and ‘strengthen the patient’s belief in supernatural phenomena.’
Source: kormedi.com
