In an era of growing awareness of mental illness, there are many psychological disorders about which almost nothing is known. Psychology has been a mysterious science since its inception in 1879, where each case is unique and sometimes difficult to believe. Defining psychology is even more difficult, but it can be understood in the words of Carl Jung: "The pendulum of the mind swings between sense and nonsense, not between good and evil." What may be reasonable to one person may be meaningless to another. Much of the "nonsense" produced by the human mind is classified as various psychological disorders.
There are thousands of mental illnesses, and while some of them, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc., are well known, others, like those listed below, are psychological disorders that are almost unknown and somewhat surprising.
1. At least 7% men suffer from "paruresis" - an anxiety disorder in which a person is unable to urinate if other people are nearby.
«"Pareasis" is a disorder in which a person is unable to urinate in the presence of others, even those of the same gender, such as in public restrooms. This disorder extends beyond simple fear of judgment or embarrassment. Some sufferers are unable to urinate in moving vehicles or have difficulty urinating in quiet places due to the fear of embarrassment from the sound of urination. Many sufferers find relief by turning on a faucet or using an artificial noise device, such as The Sound Princess in Japan.
Paruresis affects both men and women, and it typically manifests in adolescence. Due to a sympathetic nervous system response triggered by the release of adrenaline, the bladder neck, or sphincter, involuntarily contracts, preventing urination.
The name was coined in 1954 by Williams and Degenhart in their paper. They studied 1,419 college students and found that at least 14,4% of them suffered from "paruresis." The condition has been depicted in several films and television series. In one episode of the series «"Friends"» In 1995, the popular character Joey showed signs of the disorder. (source)
2. People may suffer from a psychological disorder called «"boanthropy", which makes them behave and live like bulls - cows, buffalos, etc.
A person suffering from "boanthropia" may be depicted on all fours, munching grass, because they believe they are a bull—for example, a cow or an ox. The most famous sufferer of this affliction was Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, who reigned from 605 to 562 BCE. He was the one who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
According to the fourth chapter Books of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar lived like an animal for seven years, "being driven out by men and eating grass like oxen." The book says he lost his mind after boasting about his achievements, but regained it after giving glory to God.
Sigmund Freud noted that the delusion that a person resembles a cow often begins with a dream, which then becomes reality. Hypnosis, suggestion, and autosuggestion can also lead to "cow anthropy." An Iranian film, "« Cow »" directed by Dariush Mehrjui. (1,2)
3. "Cherophobia" is a mental disorder in which people deliberately avoid entertainment and have an aversion to happiness.
«"Cherophobia," also known as the "fear of happiness" or "fear of pleasure," is when people believe that being happy is a waste of time or that it will lead to something bad. They also believe that happiness will make them bad people or that their happiness could be harmful to their friends or family. They refuse to participate in recreational activities.
This disorder arises from a turbulent past event, a fear of conflict with a loved one, or a recurring pattern of unpleasant events occurring immediately after happy moments. It is often mistaken for depression, but cognitive behavioral therapy and psychotherapy are helpful in treating this very common condition. (source)
4. "Smile mask syndrome" is a condition in which people develop depression and physical illness as a result of prolonged, unnatural smiling. It was first described in Japan in 1983 and is linked to the high value placed on smiles in the Japanese service industry.
Professor Makoto Natsume of Osaka Shoin Women's University has proposed a theory of the disorder caused by prolonged smiling. Natsume believes that unnatural, prolonged smiling suppresses a person's true emotions and causes depression.
In the Japanese service industry, as in most service industries worldwide, smiles are highly valued, especially among female workers. The patients interviewed by Natsume stated that smiling had a significant impact on hiring decisions, and their bosses emphasized the positive impact of smiling to customers. Author Tomomi Fujiwara notes that the "demand for smiles" increased following the cultural changes that occurred after the opening of Tokyo Disneyland.
«"Smile mask syndrome" has also been discovered in Korea and has not only psychological but also physical consequences, such as headaches and muscle pain similar to repetitive motion injuries. (source)
5. "Pseudopregnancy" is a syndrome in which a woman exhibits all the symptoms of pregnancy except for the presence of a fetus. Her abdomen swells as if she were pregnant, and she may even experience false contractions.
Existing since 300 BC, this phenomenon was described by Hippocrates, who identified 12 women suffering from the psychological disorder of "pseudopregnancy." It is also known that Queen Mary Tudor of England believed herself to be pregnant several times, although she was not. In the 21st century, thanks to the availability of simple pregnancy tests in pharmacies, "pseudopregnancy" has become a rare phenomenon, but it still occurs today in settings where fertility and a person's worth are linked to pregnancy.
Women with this disorder experience symptoms similar to those of natural pregnancy: menstrual irregularities, morning sickness, weight gain, and abdominal distension, which was observed in 63-97% women with this disorder. The abdominal distension is attributed to gas, fat, or feces. Furthermore, 18% women with this disorder were diagnosed with pregnancy at some point. Several theories have been proposed to explain this "pseudopregnancy," but none have yet gained acceptance. (source)