Delusional_parasitosis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusional_parasitosis


Delusional parasitosis is a form of psychosis in which sufferers hold a delusional belief they are infested with parasites.

Details of delusional parasitosis vary among sufferers, but is most commonly described as involving perceived parasites crawling upon or burrowing into the skin, sometimes accompanied by an actual physical sensation (known as formication).[1] Individuals suffering from this condition may injure themselves in attempts to be rid of the "parasites", and sometimes are able to induce the condition in others through suggestion (a phenomenon dubbed folie à deux[5]. Nearly any marking upon the skin, or small object or particle found on the person or their clothing, can be interpreted as evidence for the parasitic infestation, and sufferers commonly compulsively gather such "evidence" and then present it to medical professionals when seeking help.[1] The condition is seen most commonly in women, and the frequency is much higher past the age of 40.