Renfield Syndrome

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As Renfield's syndrome (also clinical vampirism ) is referred to a mental disorder, the person concerned is attracted to blood consumption in. The name comes from the American psychiatrist Richard Noll and refers to RM Renfield (who, however, eats living animals, including flies and spiders), a character from Bram Stoker's Dracula .

Few psychiatric articles use one of these names; usually the corresponding behavior is only treated as a symptom of schizophrenia or paraphilia .

root cause

According to Noll, Renfield syndrome is based on a specific childhood experience that traumatized the person concerned . In adults, arousal from consuming blood is usually accompanied by sexual arousal. Often those affected believe that the blood awakens superhuman powers or magically keeps certain things away. Therefore, Renfield syndrome often occurs as a side effect of schizophrenia or other psychoses .

variants

  • Autovampirism - drinking your own blood, also called autohemophagia
  • true vampirism - consumption of strange human blood

The urge to consume blood is usually satisfied with autologous blood. The respective persons therefore often have typical cuts on the forearms, caused by razor blades and the like. Ä. To "suck" the blood. This condition is comparable to the self-mutilation syndrome.

However, some people affected also experience "true vampirism". This is usually satisfied by taking some blood from someone with their consent and drinking them. Contrary to popular belief, it is extremely rare to be bitten, as a person's bite inevitably transfers bacteria that can lead to severe wound infections. Therefore, cannulas or, less often, razor blades are usually used to draw blood.

Normally, blood collection also follows strict regulations. For example, the same rule applies as in sadomasochism : "Safe, sane and consensual." (German: "Safe, healthy and okay.") In addition, there must be several days between two blood samples.

literature

  • Richard Noll: Vampires, Werewolves and Demons: Twentieth century reports in the psychiatric literature. Brunner / Mazel, New York 1992, ISBN 0-87630-632-6 .