Talk:Self-cannibalism

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I seem to recall a story of a man in Austria a few years ago cutting off his toes and eating them; it was reported he was high on some kind of drugs. Does this ring a bell to anyone?

Articles for deletion This article was nominated for deletion on 1/3/2006. The result of the discussion was no consensus.

"There is only one known case of autophagy in a normal human being without a psychological disorder."

So, what is it? Seriously... Unsigned comment by 71.38.179.26 (talk · contribs) 29 December 2005. - N (talk) 01:03, 4 February 2006 (UTC)


I'm removing that quote above, unless someone can site the time, and person, and add a link to his/her page. 65.96.98.74 23:17, 6 February 2006 (UTC)

  • I vaguely recall reading something about a neurological disorder related to an uncontrolled biting reflex that results in the patient biting off their own lips. Does anyone have any information on this? Obviously no material will be added without credible references. Also, the below comment on autocannibalism in the animal kingdom is a good point. - CNichols 02:27, 2 March 2006 (UTC)
  • The disorder is Lesch-Nyhan syndrome which features "self-mutilating behaviors, characterized by lip and finger biting." Sixty percent of Lesch-Nyhan sufferers have to have their teeth removed to prevent them from biting off their lips, cheeks, tongues, and other parts. Lesch-Nyhan is featured in the novel The Cobra Event by Richard Preston. - CNichols 02:52, 2 March 2006 (UTC)
  • If there are no objections, I'm going to delete the paragraph referring to Lesch-Nyhan disease and the other developmental conditions. There is no scientific literature supporting the idea that persons with LND self-cannibalize. Mr. Preston's book (perhaps unfortunately for the Lesch-Nyhan community) used LND as a starting point to describe a FICTIONAL disease in which people did self-cannibalize. In some persons with Lesch-Nyhan disease, there is biting of lips and fingers, perhaps to amputation, but in the 13 years I've been working with persons with LND and doing research with them, I've never seen one ingest their own tissue. (User Schizombie, I think we do have to draw a line between biting and cannibalizing.) Autodigestion in acute pancreatitis ventures even further from what would normally be defined as self-cannibalization. If anybody wants a clearer understanding of the self-mutilation in LND, see Robey, KL, Reck, JF, Giacomini, KD, Eddey, GE and Barabas, G. (2003). Modes of self-mutilation and their patterns of association in persons with Lesch-Nyhan disease. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 45, 167-171.--Krobey 16:56, 30 October 2007 (UTC)


Contents

[edit] Removed text

I've just removed the text below. It was removed and then readded by another user, but I think he was right the first time. I couldn't find any reference to the book, author or research center on Google or Google Scholar. Given that it's not easily verifiable, I think we need a citation if it gets included again. It's crystal ball stuff anyway really..

"Self-cannibalism is a relatively unstudied topic, which only few scientists and psychologists have touched upon. Psychologist Dr. Blaine Rehsif, a double major at Cambridge University in Psychology and Sociology, conducted confidential resource at the Adamson Research Center for Physical Studies in Dublin, Ireland on the topic and is planning on releasing a book based on his findings in fall of 2006. The book will be titled I'm So Hungry, I Could Eat A Horse - and will contain a variety of digestive and hunger-related experiments, including a large portion on Self-Cannibalism." - N (talk) 01:03, 4 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Animals

Shouldn't this article relate mostly to the animal kingdom (i.e., mice eating their own tails during periods of starvation)? This topic isn't even mentioned... And does it really belong in the food-and-drink section?


  • Uh, no. It doesn't need the food-stub tag. I've already removed it. Joyous | Talk 02:57, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Quote

I've removed the following quote. Unreferenced material, quotes, personal research/experience; none of these belong in a wikipedia article.

Anonymous I have been biting the skin at end of my fingers, and also the thick skin under the knuckle nearest the end of my fingers ever since I can remember. Aside from a diseased appearance when they are very wet, I've experienced no problems with it.

risk 01:59, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Self cannibalism among animals

I think that the part about stressed octopuses should be removed. I know nothing about whether or not this actually occurs, but, as it is described here, octopuses biting off (not eating?) their arms does not qualify as self-cannibalism. The part about trapped animals sometimes biting off their own limbs in order to free themselves is similarly unrelated to self-cannibalism, as this practice has nothing to do with animals eating parts of their own bodies for nourishment. If nobody objects, I will soon remove these parts of the article.Dunne409 00:04, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

I agree ... animals don't eat themselves ... It's just not naturel. Somethimes, when they're stressed, they can bite themselves, but that is not cannibalism.(Joyce) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.20.121.171 (talk) 20:29, 7 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fiction

Wasn't there a Judge Dredd story that ended with a man in a cell eating everything there was in the cell, then his clothes, and finally when there was nothing else left, himself? I seem to vaguely recall it from an old 2000AD comic but am far from certain that this actually happened.

[edit] OCTOPI - all about them .

Octopi are cool . I like their legs and thir suckers . PEACEE —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.14.51.176 (talk) 20:16, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

The word plural of 'octopus' is 'octopodes'. The word is derived from Greek not Latin. Greek doesn't make its plurals by changing -us to -i. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.83.139.120 (talk) 16:43, 5 February 2008 (UTC)