Doctors have come across some baffling day-to-day ailments, but few conditions are as strange as these 20 disorders, which

range from biological to psychological to cultural in nature.

Foreign Accent Syndrome
Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is a speech disorder that causes sudden changes in speech pattern, intonation and

pronunciation so that the victim is perceived to speak with a "foreign" accent.

Sexsomnia
Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder that, much like sleepwalking, compels the sufferer to engage in sexual activity while asleep.

Exploding Head Syndrome
People with exploding head syndrome intermittently hear loud, explosion-like noises that seem to originate from within

their own head.

Fatal Familial Insomnia
Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a genetic sleep disorder that causes increasing sleeplessness, typically starting around

the age of 50. The victim's brain develops a plaque that inhibits the ability to sleep, and with less and less sleep,

Congenital Insensitivity to Pain
People with a congenital insensitivity to pain (CIPA) cannot feel physical pain, typically due to the mutation of a gene

associated with the transmission of pain in the body.

Genital Retraction Syndrome
Genital retraction syndrome (GRS) is a mental condition prevalent in specific cultures that causes sufferers to believe

that their external genitals are shrinking or slowly disappearing into their bodies.

Werewolf Syndrome
Hypertrichosis, or werewolf syndrome, is a medical condition that causes the excessive growth of body hair -- typically on

the upper body, including the face.

Pica
Pica is a compulsion to eat non-edible objects. Sufferers have been known to consume paper, dirt, paint, hair, glue, rocks,

lint and laundry detergent.

Capgras Delusion
The Capgras delusion is a mental condition in which the sufferer comes to believe that someone close to him -- typically a

spouse or family member -- has been replaced by an identical imposter.

Alien Hand Syndrome
Also known as Dr. Strangelove syndrome and "anarchic hand," AIS is a neurological disorder that makes the victim feel like

he has lost control of one of his hands.

Stendhal Syndrome
Stendhal syndrome is the name given to a feeling of anxiety -- dizziness, confusion, rapid heartbeat, even hallucinations

and fainting -- upon seeing beautiful works of art.

Walking Corpse Syndrome
Sufferers of walking corpse syndrome, also known as the Cotard delusion, believe that they are dead, decaying or have lost

body parts or internal organs.

Jumping Frenchmen of Maine
Jumping Frenchmen of Maine is a form of the exaggerated startle reflex known as hyperexplexia, so named because it was

first observed in French-Canadian lumberjacks in the Moosehead Lake region of Maine in 1878.


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This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,

Do you have a question or wish to discuss something about this syndrome? Answerpool is a Q&A site.

My husband's a sexomniac. Luckily, his case is just funny, not violent.

...Sorry, I don't have time to write paragraphs about it without asking a question.

I find several of these names funny, even hilarious. But I have to admit a feeling of relief in finding out about Exploding Head Syndrome. It happens to me as I fall asleep or within seconds of falling asleep. If I am actually asleep when it happens, there are actually a few seconds of pain involved. (Think of being hit in the head from behind by someone wielding a baseball bat.) The noise is incredible. Once, I actually went outside to see if someone had hit the house with a car.

Still, the name is funny. When I first read it, I naturally imagined someone's head actually exploding, and said to myself, "How often can that happen?" And Jumping Frenchmen of Maine sounds like a Mark Twain story or a case of Sherlock Holmes.

quote:

Sexsomnia
Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder that, much like sleepwalking, compels the sufferer to engage in sexual activity while asleep.

Now seriously guys, why is this listed as a disorder? All men do this to some degree or another, don't they?

I myself had alcoholic constipation [I couldn't pass a pub]

quote:

Originally posted by dg: Now seriously guys, why is this listed as a disorder? All men do this to some degree or another, don't they?

To be fair, many of the men who actually suffer from this disorder get pretty violent and the result can be domestic abuse or even rape. So it IS a serious problem in many cases...

quote:

Originally posted by Elexina:

quote:

Originally posted by dg: Now seriously guys, why is this listed as a disorder? All men do this to some degree or another, don't they?

To be fair, many of the men who actually suffer from this disorder get pretty violent and the result can be domestic abuse or even rape. So it IS a serious problem in many cases...

You are quite right, and your point is well taken, Elexina. However, since this thread was started, not with a serious question, but with an ad, you'll have to forgive me for adding a little humour to the topic. It's just the way I see things sometimes

Anyway, Elexina and dg, how many rapists or violent partners do their acts when asleep or sleep-walking ?

A few accused have run a 'defence' that they were sleepwalking at the time, and therefore had not the necessary intent or knowledge, but it's not a line which has commended itself

Oh, I know, dg, I just wanted to be clear.

Fred, I think the thing is, sexomniacs are NOT rapists or violent partners, not consciously, so that's the trouble. How do you establish intent when the person insists he was asleep? I don't think many people get away with faking that defense, though, as it's pretty easy to test and see what the person does when they actually fall asleep.