- Trichotillomania: This falls under the category of impulsive disorders and is characterized by compulsive pulling of hair from one's own body [typically the head, sometimes eyebrows/facial hair/other body hair] that leads to visible hair loss, and could potentially lead to social or functional impairments. The compulsions are worse in times of stress or depressed states.
- Koro: an overwhelming belief that one's external genital (males) or secondary sex organs (nipples in females) is shrinking, retracting and will eventually disappear. Some even believe that this will end up causing his/her death. This disorder is prevalent in Eastern Asia.
- Hallucinogen Persisting Perception disorder: visual hallucinations or flashbacks of the experiences felt during earlier use of hallucinogens in life. This is thought to be a result of reabsorption of the hallucinogen years after last use from lipid stores.
- Dissociative Fugue: sudden, unexpected travel away from home along with the inability to recall parts of one's actual identity and past. This will cause the person to assume a new identity and occupation after reaching this new destination. This disorder usually is seen after a stressful life event.
As I was reading my first aid...I came across these and thought they were the weirdest of them all. Initially I was quite skeptical, thinking that people are just pretending/feigning these symptoms for primary or secondary gain...but after a bit of research, these are actual disorders characterized by the DSM Manual for Mental Disorders. There are a few more I thought were pretty intersting... will tell you more about them later.
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