Overall information and warnings.

Please be aware that English isn't my first language, so feel free to point out any mistakes in the comments. If there is any misinformation I made, please point it out too. This blog will cover topics such as eating disorders, mental health, and cannibalism. If any of these topics trigger you, please exit my blog instead of reporting or leaving hate comments.

I made this blog for educational reasons and my own curiosity. I do not encourage cannibalism.

Autocannibalism is the compulsion to eat one's body parts, such as (most common) nails, hair, scabs, boogers, or skin. These are the least extreme forms. 

The most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) doesn't consider autocannibalism as a diagnosable mental health disorder. However, many types of autocannibalism are classified as body-focused repetitive behaviors. Autocannibalism and BFRBs are often linked to other mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. They can also appear with other conditions involving impulse control, like OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) or pica.

Other types of autocannibalism

The most extreme form of autocannibalism is eating entire body parts. This type of autocannibalism is rare and there's little research on it.

Mental health conditions classified as autocannibalism are:

Allotriophagia, a.k.a. pica, is characterized by eating items with no nutritional value.

Onychophagia happens when one feels an uncontrollable urge to eat the nails. This condition causes more damage to the fingernails than the anxious habit of biting the nails.

Dermatophagia is characterized by eating the skin on fingers or hands. This case may lead to skin that is damaged and bleeding.

Trichophagia (Rapunzel syndrome) happens when one eats their own hair. Because hair can't be digested, this condition may and will lead to blockages and infections if left alone without proper treatment.

"If left untreated, autocannibalism can lead to scarring, infections, and in some cases, severe complications that may cause death." - Healthline 

Signs and symptoms

Autocannibalism can appear as a symptom of certain mental health disorders, or as a secondary habit caused by BFRB. 

Signs of autocannibalism are different. It depends on the type of the condition. The most common signs are; bruising, scarring, bleeding, infection, discoloration, and nerve damage. Autocannibalism can cause gastrointestinal issues, such as; nausea, stomach ulcers, pain, blockages, or damage to the Gl tract. The act of autocannibalism can also be accompanied by the feeling of anxiety or distress before, during, and after being done. One may feel pleasure or relief after the compulsion. As well as shame and guilt.

Underlying causes

Genetics. "It’s suggested that having a family member with a BFRB may increase your risk of developing a similar condition." - Healthline.

Age. There's a condition called Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) which happens around age 1 with symptoms of autocannibalism. 

Emotions. "researchers found that boredom, frustration, and impatience played a significant role in triggering BFRBs in the study group." - Healthline.

Mental illness. 

Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy. It's effective for BFRBs (and anxiety and depression, too). It focuses on one's thoughts, how they affect one's behavior and moods, and how to transform them into positive ones.

Habit reversal training (HRT) is a subset of CBT. It focuses on habits that may be dangerous for one, and how to change them. In one case study researchers found HRT to be an effective treatment option for trichotillomania. 

Medication

When autocannibalism has an underlying psychiatric disorder, medications can be used, combined with therapy. 

Most common medications:

Fluoxetine (Prozac),

Citalopram (Celexa),

Escitalopram (Lexapro),

Amitriptyline. 

Alternative therapy

One suffering from autocannibalism may also like to participate in incorporate alternative therapies, such as mindfulness, which helps to reduce compulsions. There's an other alternative - massage therapy or acupuncture, which can cause physical relief for some symptoms of autocannibalism. 

Thank you so much for reading all that stuff!! It's my first research blog/essay(?) so, of course, it's not the best. But I tried to make it as good as I only could. I hope you enjoyed it, and that it is at least logically readable. As I said, feel free to point out any misinformation or spelling/grammar mistakes in the comments!! Once again, thank you. 

I'm planning to do more blogs like this, on topics I'm interested in. For now, I guess that I won't take requests unless I find the topic interesting. I tried to add a layout for this blog, but I couldn't (I tried for hours and almost went crazy so I just simply gave up). Maybe next time I'll learn how to do it. Maybe. I was inspired by https://blog.spacehey.com/xxscxttyxx blog about cannibalism, ALL thanks to him!!! If not him and his blog, this one wouldn't even exist. THANK YOU!!

Bye!!