Do you really know? What is the living dead syndrome?
Dec 5, 2025
Dive into the eerie realm of Cotard’s syndrome, where patients believe they're wandering corpses caught between life and death. Explore the unsettling delusions of immortality and extreme cases where individuals think their organs are missing or their bodies transparent. This rare disorder, often linked to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, can lead to risky behaviors. Discover how treatment options like medication and therapy offer hope for recovery, all within an engaging and concise discussion!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Core Features Of Cotard’s Syndrome
- Cotard’s syndrome causes patients to feel like wandering corpses convinced they are on the border between life and death.
- The condition can include denial of existence, ideas of damnation, and even delusions of immortality.
Paradox Of Immortality And Risk
- Believing oneself dead can produce a paradoxical sense of immortality and immunity to harm.
- This belief raises real risks like suicidal behaviour and deliberately dangerous actions.
Illustrative Case Reports
- Case reports describe patients convinced they lacked organs or that their bodies were translucent and dissolvable.
- One patient refused baths fearing she would dissolve down the drain and another thought she had no brain or intestines.