Ashley Carlson
English 1101
Bowers
October 18, 2014
Have you ever felt so dead tired and you can’t go on? You just might be a victim of Jules Cotard’s condition Negative Deliriums, also known as, Walking Corpse Syndrome. This syndromes nickname is dead on! Negative Delirium has many nicknames but to keep it simple the syndrome is more commonly known as Cotard Syndrome, named after a French neurologist who first described this condition in 1882. Victims of Cotard syndrome hold a false belief they are dead, have never existed, their body is decomposing and/or have lost a vital organ or even organs. In other words the victim is having delusions. Cotard syndrome isn’t very common at all. In fact this disorder is just recently in the last few decades been relooked at. Cotard syndrome has revolutionized the way doctors look at depression and psychotic disorders.
By now you are probably wondering “How can I know for sure I have this psychotic disorder?” There are specific symptoms and signs to pay attention to. The major symptom that classifies a person of the Cotard syndrome family is the belief they are dead, are dying but not really dying, losing an organ or organs and/or bleeding to death. (Great news: If you know you are alive and well you don’t have this psychotic disorder!). Due to the fact that you or who you care about believes they are dead, they are probably starving, not showering, lounging around, and not taking part in daily activities/functions but their bodies function normally. For example, they believe they are dead but they are obviously breathing because they spoke. Another common symptom is the use of the phrases; “Why I’m dead,” “Dead people don’t do (whatever it is you’ve asked of them)” and many more.
There is a bright side to this diagnosis though! You are NOT a Zombie! Reminder: Cotard syndrome is a psychotic brain disorder not an infectious disease spread through a bite, breaking of the skin or contact with a person diagnosed with Cotard syndrome. Cotard syndrome
