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Cotards Syndrome

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Recently it seems that everyone is preparing for the world, and many people believe that there could be a zombie apocalypse. However, there exists a mental illness in which people believe that they are already dead, mentally making them “zombies”, this illness is called Cotard’s Syndrome. This rare illness only has a few documented cases, since it can be easily confused with other illnesses. Both diagnosing and treating this illness can be very difficult for doctors. Although this Syndrome is extremely rare, the public should have at least some knowledge about it to prevent further confusion, and also so doctors can diagnose it more quickly and prevent the patient from self-harming themselves. Cotard’s Syndrome, is a rare mental illness in which the patient believes that they have already passed away, or that their organs have shut down. There has been a case study of a “43- year- old woman who believed that she had ‘no brain, nerves, chest, or entrails and was just skin and bone’ that ‘neither God or the Devil existed,’ and that she did not need food, for ‘she was eternal and would live forever.’ she had asked to be burned alive and had made various suicidal attempts.” (Berrios). Even with the illness being so rare, there have been multiple case studies done upon it, which means that it may not always be linked to other psychological disorders as many believe. With many psychological disorders, there is the risk of the patient harming others, which has been seen in a few cases, it is more common for a patient to harm themselves (Huber). While “the delusion of being dead is common, but delusions of immortality can also be present” ( Huber). Not only does the delusion of immortality confirm that the patient does have some psychological problems, but it also challenges doctors when trying to find a treatment. Patients with Cotard’s Syndrome can be extremely

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