Cannibalism in paranoid schizophrenia: a case report

Abstract

In ancient times, cannibalism was deemed acceptable for reasons of survival when faced with extreme need or for religious or magic reasons. In today’s society, these cases are extremely rare and are generally associated with severe mental illness. We present a case of cannibalism in an individual with schizophrenia. The patient who lacked insight into his illness admitted to committing acts of cannibalism and offered in-depth explanations of the procedures used to prepare the bodies. He made statements on television and to the press and was given the nickname of «the people-eater», an identity he readily accepted and integrated into his system of delusions. Cases of this nature are exceedingly unusual, but the fact that people with schizophrenia commit uncommon, unpredictable crimes attracts the media. This circumstance not only interferes with the natural course of the disease, but also affects the therapeutic behavior and how the patient is perceived by society.