Buzz
It’s common to experience a creepy sensation after seeing a spider or beetle rush by, even when you know there’s nothing on you. However, for many, the persistent sensation of imaginary insects or parasites under their skin—referred to as formication—feels very real, as Newsweek reports.
This condition is termed delusional infestation, and while cases have been documented worldwide, there hasn't been enough research to confirm whether it’s a skin condition or a mental health disorder. Nevertheless, two recent studies are trying to provide insight into this perplexing condition, which can cause symptoms like itching, fatigue, joint pain, rashes, lesions, and difficulty focusing. Some individuals have even reported pulling “fibers” from their skin.
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark suggest that tens of thousands of Americans could be affected, making it more widespread than initially believed. Their study, published in the journal JAMA Dermatology, found that people with this condition are often “resistant to medical evidence [showing there is no infestation] and hesitant to pursue psychiatric treatment.” Some patients, convinced they have something crawling beneath their skin, resort to self-harming with tweezers, bleach, or razor blades.
The researchers refrained from categorizing it as a psychological disorder, though they did suggest that conditions like schizophrenia, dementia, other mental health issues, and substance use could contribute to delusional infestation in certain cases, as reported by Science News.
Another recent study, published in the journal Annals of the Academy of Medicine of Singapore [PDF], seemed to support a psychological cause for the condition. The researchers found that Chinese patients with delusional infestation were treated with antipsychotics, and 10 out of 11 individuals with isolated cases (without other underlying issues) showed improvement with medication.
On the other hand, some researchers have proposed alternative theories, suggesting that the condition may be the skin's reaction to “tick-borne pathogens” typically linked to Lyme disease. Over the years, the condition has been known by several names, including Morgellons disease—a term introduced in 2004 by a medical researcher and mother who claimed to find “fibers” on her young son’s skin after he continuously scratched at the “bugs” he insisted were there. Regardless of its origin, it’s evident that the condition has profound effects on those who suffer from it, and further research is essential to develop effective treatments.
