What causes cannibalism?

It is important to understand various forms of cannibalism and their motivations or causes.

This is obviously for learning. I do not encourage cannibalism.

Content warning: brief mentions of self-harm, eating disorders and sexual abuse.

Types of cannibalism:

There are multiple different types of cannibalism, exo, endo and even auto.

Endocannibalism is practiced as funerary ceremony, like burial and cremation.
It may seem disgusting but consuming a loved one is considered an act of affection in certain tribes and cultures.

Exocannibalism is an act of violence rather than affection.

Autocannibalism is not practiced but is actually a pathological behavior caused by a few mental conditions.
Things that count as autocannibalism are; eating your own skin, scabs, nails, hair, etc.
There are treatments and medications for it since it can damage the body severely.

Human vampirism is also technically cannibalism, but that will not be a major topic in this writing.

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Motives and causes:

Although cannibalism is usually associated with psychiatric disorders, it does not come from mental illness alone.
Substance abuse, antisocial traits, environmental upbringing and survival instincts from trauma or abuse can all lead to cannibalistic acts.

Autocannibalism

I have already stated how this is a type of cannibalism, but there is more to it.

It can be a disorder or even a symptom, since it can be considered self-harm, however it is not a disorder in itself.

Some do it as a choice for extreme body modification, such as eating their own skin, possibly due to body issues.

Autocannibalism would also be forced as torture and war crimes.

Placentophagy, where a mother consumes her placenta after childbirth, is commonly debated if it is autocannibalism or not.

Sacrificial cannibalism

This is possibly one of the more common motives people think about when they hear cannibalism.

Sacrificial cannibalism is consuming the flesh of a human sacrifice. Many have practiced this, such as the Aztecs and Celts in Britain.

Medicinal cannibalism

Many in Europe and China consumed various parts of the human body, dead or alive, since it was believed to treat or prevent ailments and diseases.
Blood was an elixir, especially when warm and fresh, since it carried more of the persons soul.
Blood from criminals was actually very valuable because of its supposed strong healing powers.
In ancient Rome, the blood of gladiators was thought to cure epilepsy. 
There are many examples of what was believed to cure certain things; powdered blood helped bleeding, fat helped bruising and powdered skulls helped migraines or dizziness.

Infanticidal cannibalism

This motive for killing and consuming ones children is due to the belief of the child being unfit to live or just unwanted.
The parents and or other relatives will consume the childs remains.
This is somewhat common with animals, especially fish. It is called filial cannibalism.

Sexual cannibalism

Some with severe paraphilic disorders find cannibalism sexually pleasing, leading to fantasies, thoughts and urges cannibalizing.
It is unclear what can cause this disorder but, believed that sexual abuse in childhood can form this disorder, leading the person to associate arousing feelings with twisted things.
It could also resemble sadomasochism from a dominance and submission perspective.
There are also different types of sexual cannibalism; erotophonophilia, vorarephilia and sexual autophagy.

Criminal cannibalism

This also has different types; defensive and aggressive.
There is offensive too but it is practically sexual cannibalism.
Defensive criminal cannibalism is usually consuming the remains of a murder to hide evidence.
Aggressive criminal cannibalism should be obvious, it is characterized with rage, mutilation and dismemberment is common with the victim still being alive.

Wendigo psychosis

This psychosis is characterized by hallucinations, paranoia and, of course, cannibalistic thoughts.
Some disorders that can be symptoms are depression and anorexia.
Cultural beliefs and mental vulnerability also cause this psychosis to happen.
As the psychosis advances, the individual will believe they have been possessed by a wendigo, leading to paranoia and violent hallucinations of victims being killed and devoured.
Eventually, the individual will view loved ones as potential victims.
Once human flesh is consumed, the transformation of the wendigo is complete.

If you find that there is misinformation please let me know and with your source so I can research it more and correct myself.

Feel free to ask questions and any hate will be deleted!