Strange disease: He has a big fear

A 14-year-old boy in Mexico was especially afraid, so much so that he tried to hide or suppress the development in ways such as restricting eating and distorting his voice.

His obsession began at 11 years old. Knowing that the nutrients in food will make me grow, he eats less and drops more than 12kg, the medical staff are treating me. In addition, this boy always tried to stoop to hide his height and said his voice was distorted for a low sound.

"Every time he sees a physical change that shows he's growing up, he feels scared and worried, he even thinks about plastic surgery to hide his development" , The researchers wrote in the report recently published in the journal Psychiatry, Case Reports in Psychiatry. "He also believes that when he is grown up to some extent (being an adult), I will be more likely to get sick and die, and all of this is not against me. His mother also treats me as a child. - for example, singing lullaby and choosing clothes for children to wear every day ".

Although the teenager met a psychologist for about a year, the treatment was ineffective and he was referred to treatment at the Autonomous University in Nuevo León, northern Mexico.

Artwork: News.softpedia.com.

The researchers diagnosed him with gerascophobia - an over-age fear - a rare obsession. Previously, only two similar cases were reported and both were adults.

Dr. Alan Manevitz, clinical psychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York (USA) - who does not directly treat the boy, said, this obsession often comes from a combination of weaknesses. Physiological, psychological and environmental factors.

In this case, the 14-year-old boy experienced an anxiety disorder of separation (a condition in which children are overly worried when they are separated from their loved ones or go to a strange place) at 5 years old. . The boy was also sexually assaulted by a neighbor at the age of 6. He was also bullied 2-3 times a week during the 6th grade. These experiences contributed to the obsession of fear of old age, researcher said.

Martin Antony, a professor of psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto (Canada), said that he had never seen any such situation and had never heard of patients diagnosed with fear of being old. He said other experts should probably diagnose this boy with psychological problems rather than over-obsessive - such as the appearance of sympathetic syndrome in people who are worried about solid body characteristics. the difference they consider themselves to be disadvantages.

Dr. Luis Gonzalez Mendoza, head of the pediatric endocrinology department at Children's Hospital Miami (USA) agrees. He said that the boy may have a gender-form disorder - a condition seen in a person who does not identify his biological sex. Patients with this disorder are afraid to enter puberty.

Dr. Manevitz said that, in the case of gender-format disorders, it is important to identify the basic element of psychological condition, such as anxiety, panic and self-image problems. The recent case is very complicated, so it requires multifaceted treatment.

This boy has been treated with antidepressants along with a form of psychotherapy and family therapy. The boy's condition improved - he started to stand up and speak in his own tone. My eating disorder was also better and I gained 6kg.

"The boy was able to imagine the future, live independently and work as an actor - what he likes. However, he still expressed fear of the constraints and responsibilities he felt must be. in adult life , " the researchers said.