Formication is a psychosis where the person experiences tactile hallucinations. These tactile hallucinations take place on the body in the form of bugs. This psychosis is unique and can lead to delusions, where the person believes that they have been infected with insects.
I have these experiences; they’re very distressing to me. It’s not just that you feel an insect crawling across you. It’s also the belief these insects can hurt you. Maybe they’ll be crawling in your ears; perhaps they’re crawling in your heart. If you google formication, you will find heaps of people asking why they are experiencing these hallucinations, and the answer is usually anxiety. They should check these feelings out by with the GP and any scratches that the problem has caused you.
Psychosis
If you want to know what psychosis is click here. However, if you would like to know more about psychosis and how to deal with experiences of psychotic episodes click here.
Psychosis, commonly referred to as a loss of reality. And doctors around the world can’t decide what qualifies you for…medium.com
What to do when you are experiencing formication
The best thing to do is to focus on something else, just like hearing voices, these are hallucinations. However, if sleeping is the problem, doing five senses will probably prolong the experience which you can find here. Try to focus on something you love in your head, imagine cuddling it and feel its warmth and touch against your body. Smile as you do this, and you will feel a little better too. Think of all the times you are together and experience those feelings, wants and needs.
Formication usually is brief and happens at the early stage of night when you’re trying to sleep. This type, although distressing rarely leads to anything more than a few scratches. The problem that most people find is that there is nothing that can be done about this. It’s true, there isn’t anything that can be done, and this is because the person experiencing these feelings believe it at the time of formication. So what we can do? Well, nothing, I can’t help you in that department. Usually, these experiences will go on their own, sometimes it’s a sign of something different, and then medication will need to be given for X, Y and Z. I will, however, give you a few tips.
Don’t scratch or slap away the bugs. This is because scratching damages your skin, over time, scratching can cause harm and hurt you. Formication can last for months even years, so the best thing to do is think twice before scratching yourself. Don’t put objects in places. Before I mentioned that I get mine crawling in my ears, well I put a pair of tweezers in my ear and perforated my eardrum. I can highly recommend not doing this. Putting objects in your body can cause harm to yourself, and won’t stop the problem, remember, it’s all in your head. Don’t cut holes in yourself to let the bugs have a way to get out. Self-mutilation is often a sign of a severe case of formication and usually that it’s gone further than anxiety. However, I understand the logic behind this, but it will not help, and the opening will get infected.
For more on mental health check out our medium page:
Innocuous is the place for poetry, short stories, mental health and self (used to be The Oracle Media)medium.com
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the most common disorders 1 in 40 adults in the U.S. is said to have it or have…medium.com
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