10 Mind-Blowing Mental Disorders You Probably Didn't Know Existed
Psychological disorders like bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia are all common conditions discussed in mental health. But there are several rare psychological conditions that often go ignored because they sound too weird to be true. Alltime 10s’s video, “Top 10 Bizarre Mental Disorders,” reveals the top 10 most mind-blowing mental health conditions, from Shenkui (the fear of semen loss) to Cotard’s syndrome (the belief you’re a walking corpse).
In the U.S. mental disorders are common, affecting tens of millions of people each year, with only about half of those affected receiving treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness, affecting 40 million adults age 18 and older, or about 18 percent of the U.S. population. Generally, those with an anxiety disorder are six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from any.
The onset of mental illness can be either from inherited traits, environmental exposures before birth, or brain chemistry. The mind is very fragile, so a malfunctioning brain can cause the person to suffer an array of unpredictable consequences. The brain is equipped with a mechanism that helps people monitor their actions and make decisions on their own, but a mental disorder can disrupt the balance of the brain’s chemistry.
For example, in 2010, a British woman went to bed complaining of a migraine, and when she woke up, she found herself talking in a Chinese accent. Although she has never been to Asia, she still talks with a Chinese accent today. Unfortunately, there is no cure for foreign accent syndrome.
In Asia, specifically China, there is a rare mental disorder known as “Shenkui.” This is seen in Chinese men who fear that a loss of semen will result in a deficiency of “yang,” also known as positive male energy. The men equate losing too much semen as life-threatening, leading some to refrain from sexual activity completely. This fear and anxiety leads to dizziness, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction with no physical cause. This mental disorder is also attributed to a lack of proper sex education, but it can easily be treated with therapy.
While some mental disorders cause people to talk differently or fear their own bodily secretions, others convince people that they’re actually dead. Patients suffering from Cotard’s syndrome, or walking corpse syndrome, believe that they are dead. They become disconnected with reality and start to believe their body parts don’t exist. As a result, many end up dying of starvation because they feel they no longer have to eat.
Although hard to wrap your head around, these bizarre mental disorders actually do exist.
Click on the video above to see the complete top 10 list to believe it.