Introduction
Clinical zoanthropy is a rare delusion in which individuals perceive themselves as animals. Boanthropy is a form of zoanthropy. It is a psychological disorder in which the individual perceives their entity as the same as a cow or ox and behaves identically to a bovine's behavior. Approximately 25 percent of the zoanthropy patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia, 23 percent with psychotic depression, and about 20 percent with bipolar disorder. This neuro-psychological disorder of delusion personality entity is seen in males more than women. Bizarre delusions include psychotic illusions of experiences that cannot occur in reality, such as human metamorphosis into an animal. These bizarre delusions have traditionally been associated with conditions such as schizophrenia (a chronic brain disorder that includes delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and lack of motivation).
What Is Boanthropy?
The word ‘boanthropy’ is obtained from the Greek language. The words ‘bos,’ signifying “cow,” and ‘Anthropos,’ indicate “human.” Boanthropy is a rare and serious psychological disorder in which a human experiences mental metamorphosis from being a human to accepting he is a bovine. Bovine is a biological classification that includes ungulates from 10 genera, e.g., cows, cattle, buffaloes, bison, etc. People with this bizarre mental disorder are easily identified because of their behavior.
What Are the Clinical Presentation of Boanthropy?
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In this condition, the suffering seems to walk on the ground like a cow does by using four limbs, arms, and legs.
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They stop talking like normal human beings and prefer mooing.
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Grab others’ attention by bellowing and bawling.
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Develop a taste for grass, so their diet consists of grass, hay, and silage.
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They graze like a cow and eat whatever plants they see.
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They can join a herd of cattle to graze and browse.
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From behavior and diet to sounds, boanthropy patients portray a cow's character.
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The patient prefers it sounds like cow-moo.
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Eat grass and may become highly agitated if prevented from doing so.
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Patients may attempt to harm themselves or others to fulfill their bovine fantasies.
What Is the Cause of Boanthropy?
Boanthropy is considered to be a neuro-psychiatric illness rather than a real phenomenon. The reason for boanthropy is still unknown. Many correlate it with religious perceptions, whereas others think it relates to mysticism and black magic. Boanthropy can be a different aspect of another psychological diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A person might hallucinate a lot, which varies their belief of living as a human being.
What Is the Treatment of Boanthropy?
As the primary causes of boanthropy are not very well explained, the treatment also does not exist in a definite form. Suppose a human is razing and mooing. It is clear they. In that case, the person needs medical help. It is believed that boanthropy is the symptom of diverse mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar syndrome. Psychologists prefer psychotherapy (talk therapy) and psycho-pharmacotherapy (antipsychotic drugs and anti-depressant drugs) to help an individual give up the bizarre state of delusion as soon as possible,
There are methods to manage the condition and help the affected individuals live to achieve relatively normal lives. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disorder; thus, a treatment plan generally involves a combination of medication and therapy to help the individual control their delusions and hallucinations. In extreme or late cases, hospitalization is required. However, with a therapeutic approach to regain a normal life and maintain relationships, many people with boanthropy can lead fairly normal lives, and some can even work on the condition.
How Can Boanthropy Affect the Life of an Individual?
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Boanthropy is the weirdest and rare but most fascinating mental illness that can immensely impact an individual life, causing them to give up their careers, homes, and families to live as their preferred animal.
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In some cases, people with this disorder may become isolated from the community and unable to supervise themselves. As a result, it is essential to help someone showing signs of the disorder.
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The observation of a certain medical disorder and the finding of a corresponding archaeological object could help explain one of the most mysterious accounts in the Bible, the evil and unusual divine punishment of the famous sixth-century BC king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.
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According to the Bible, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and at the zenith of Nebuchadnezzar’s power, the Israel God took away his royal power for seven years by forcing him from human society.
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The world's most recognized and strong king was sentenced to spend seven years in the fields with wild animals and eat grass like a cow until he realized that the God of Israel had power over human kingdoms and could give them to anyone he chose.
Conclusion
Boanthropy is the rarest psychological illness that needs to be addressed as early as possible. If one has prodromal symptoms like hallucination, delusion inner urge to be like a bovine, it is an alarming sign to consult a mental health professional. It is an abnormal condition that changes individual personalities and behavior from being human to spend the rest of their lives as animals.
