Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Morgellons disease: dermatologic or psychiatric

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2014; 24: Supplement S329-S329
Read: 882 Published: 17 February 2021

Morgellons Disease (MD) is an unexplained syndrome presenting with cutaneous dysesthesias associated with foreign material like fibers or another inanimate objects. It is still controversial condition in medical community and some authors assume that it is simply a delusional infestation by another name while some suggest that it is a real infestation. Morgellons patients have a strong but false belief of being infested by these unexplained materials and claim to have observed that their skin exudes such fibers. Cutaneous dysesthesia is the main dermatological symptom and this causes patients to pick at their skin or itching and excoriations. In psychiatric domain, it is an example of delusional disorder, somatic type (also known as monosymptomatic hypochondrial psychosis). Also, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, sleep disturbance and mood disorder may be associated with the dermatologic symptoms. Herein, we present a patient with MD and want to focus on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to MD. A 49 year-old female was admitted to our psychodermatology outpatient clinic with pruritus and stinging sensations on her body. An unbearable itching and burning were present. She described some material like threads protruding from the skin as she scratched it. After removal of materials from the skin, she relieved for a short time. Dermatological examination showed numerous excoriations and erosions on the skin due to scratching and picking. In psychiatric sessions, it was learned from her history that these symptoms started when she deceived by his husband six months before. She complained sleep disturbances and amnesia Hallucinations were not described by the patient. In the psychological interview, she did not tell any emotions associated with trauma. She was hospitalized. She was diagnosed depression and impulse control disorders not otherwise specified. Moreover, prescribed risperidone 0.5 mg/day and escitalopram 20 mg/day. After hospitalized she came psychotherapy once a week for three months. MD is a mysterious skin disorder that was first described more than 200 years ago. The disease is identified by fiber-like strands extruding from the skin in conjunction with various dermatologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The cause, transmission, and treatment are unknown. Physical stress is a common precursor. Full onset typically requires one to several months beginning from the first symptom. MD patients often go to many physicians, such as infectious disease specialists as well as dermatologists. Patients with MD generally lack insight into their disease and reject the need for psychiatric help, because they believe that their main problem is about the skin although many psychiatric disorders accompany. Thus, it is important to recognize these patients and to have an interdisciplinary collaboration for both dermatologists and mental health specialists. A multidisciplinary approach will clearly enhance the success and effectiveness of the treatment.

EISSN 2475-0581