# HELP! Spouse w/ delusional parasitosis



## pale-blue-eyes

Please anyone with any experience or knowledge of this mental disorder please post any info/thoughts you have. 

I wasn't sure where exactly to post this so hope this is the right area. I'm convinced my H has delusional parasitosis, a mental disorder where the patient mentally convinces themselves that they are infested with bugs. It has literally gotten to the point where I've been looking into how to have someone involuntarly comitted to a psych center. He has BPD but thats a whole other story, for now the most pressing issue is the "bugs". He is absolutely convinced that these "bugs" are EVERYWHERE, the bathroom, the bed, the living room, the kitchen, in the dishwasher and in the microwave even! To complicate things this disorder is often accompanied by physical feelings of itching/biting/crawling etc. I honestly don't know what to do or how to handel this. He is fixated on it 24/7, takes 4-5 hour showers, won't eat because he "sees" the bugs in his food (I got take out for dinner and fresh out the bag it somehow already had "bugs"). If I disagree he completly blows up and runs to find "evidence", this evidence is any speck of anything (dirt, lint, coffee grounds, etc) He literally thinks everything is a bug and has many open wounds from picking at his skin. He won't listen to me even when I'm being calm and completly ignores any observations/concerns/thought that I have about the issue. He is just mentally gone. 

The biggest issue is if he doesn't get help this is going to ruin our marriage, but I know he is not going to voluntarly get help or admit it's all in his head, but if I force him or have him legally comitted I'm afraid he'll retaliate with self harm and possibly suicide. I don't know if I should contact his doctor (is she legally obligated to tell him I contacted her?) or If I need to contact an attorney who deals with adult mental disorder patients? Even if I was able to get power of attorney and have him comitted how would I get him to the hospital? I know he would blow up and completly flip out, even if the police came to escort him I can only see that situation ending badly. I don't know, I guess right now it looks like it's going to end badly no matter what.


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## YinPrincess

Yikes... 

I just have one question presently, has he always been like this? During dating/engagement?

(((HUGS)))
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Laba

This could be side effect of antidepressants that he is using just a quick google on one of the most used one shows ------
Individuals taking this drug should be aware of its potential side effects. ... abnormal skin feelings such as itching, prickling, tingling, crawling and burning; tenderness ... added antipsychotic medicine he will be thinking it's bugs, since we as humans want an reasonable explanation to everything. 

Also you should see this documentary
Making a Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging - Full Movie (Documentary) - YouTube


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## YinPrincess

I love, love, LOVE that documentary!!! Ever since I watched it forever ago I have been wary of medications, no matter what kind! 

Who knew that anti-d's could do this? :scratchhead:
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Laba

And the scariest is that sooooo many people are using them when in the meanwhile things like acupuncture, herbal medicine even fasting and juicing works many times better.

The "bug side effect" is very well known. Just pulling up forums concerning this subject are alarming to say the least...

I hope it's not too late for this man to get his life back.


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## pale-blue-eyes

Thanks for the info. No he hasn't always been like this, his father comitted suicide this past Sept. 2012 and it seems like his mental condition has just gotton worse since then. It could very well be the meds but every time I bring it up it turns into a fight. 

Any suggestions on how to talk to him to try and get him to consider what I'm saying? He is just so convinced that he is right and his delusions are real that I haven't been able to help him see otherwise. I want to contact his doctor but I'm afraid it will just make him upset and start another big fight. I tried to talk to him about getting help for his mourning process (in hopes that he would accept and then work on all of his issues in the process) but he did not want to hear it. How do you help someone who doesn't think they need it?


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## Laba

Indeed you cant help someone who doesn't want to be helped. I don't know how you have the strength to cope with this yourself...
I wish you the best, however, at one point you will need to put yourself as a priority. If he is not prepared to talk to you then you simply are helpless and I can totally see how this is ruining the marriage and all aspects of it.... Please don't forget or loose yourself in this.


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## 827Aug

The doctor he is seeing...... Is this a general practice family doctor or a psychiatrist? With the severity of his mental illness, he needs to be seeing a mental health professional. And if he is seeing a psychiatrist, you should definitely tell him/her what is going on.

Has he ever taken illegal drugs? In our area crystal meth is a big problem. When we owned a pharmacy, it was a common thing for people to come in with delusional parasitosis. They would have much of their faces, arms, legs, chests clawed to complete sores--all the time tell us bugs did it! Scary!


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## Waking up to life

This is a very tricky one...I work at a dermatologist office and we see this on occasion. People come to us to get a prescription to kill the bugs. It's only a skin problem by secondary intent...their skin is an absolute mess because of the picking and digging, sometimes pulling hair out, and from the terrible rashes they get from the "home remedies" they've tried to kill the bugs...household bleach, Raid, garden pesticides, gasoline, you name it. It's such a sad thing to see, because these people truly do in their minds see bugs. Of course there aren't any, but they are very real to them.

That's why it does no good to try to convince them they don't have bugs. It only infuriates them and makes them feel completely hopeless. On the other hand, you should not enable them by agreeing that you see bugs when you don't. The only thing you can say is to validate their feelings of panic and terror, which are very real. The doctor I work for tells the patient this: "There may have been some bugs on your skin, but today I don't see any. Perhaps you've already gotten rid of them by using _____. What I see now is a lot of sores and irritation from your attempt to get rid of them. Let me give you a cream to help soothe your skin and heal it. In the meantime, I'd really like you to see a psychiatrist who can give you some medicine to help ease your anxiety so that you can deal with all of this better. I'm not saying you're crazy, I'm saying that you need help from a psychiatrist to deal with the terrible anxiety this has caused." Usually there is a family member with them who will then chime in and encourage the patient to follow the dcotor's advice. If they agree to go (and usually she can convince them to go), she'll write a letter to the psych explaining the whole situation. 

So...maybe you can approach it that way. Either see if he'll go to a dermatologist to get a prescription for his skin, or skip that part if you can and ask him to see a psych about the anxiety the bugs have caused him. Good luck.


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## Anon Pink

If he has Bi-polar and is taking antidepressants or stimulants, it can cause psychosis like you describe.

You should have him committed ASAP. Once he is stabilized on the right meds, which would be the purpose of involuntary commitment, he will be MUCH more rational and will likely not be angry with you. Your other option is to leave the house until he voluntarily is med compliant. You run the risk of his psychosis generalizing to you, bugs on you, although this is not as common as bugs affecting only them.

Call his doctor and report all the behavior as well as any drinking or other forms of self medicating, excessive coffee drinking... Ask the doc about steps neccessary to get him a complete psych eval. If he is harming himself by digging into his skin to get the bugs, if he is a danger to himself- not understanding fire burns or knives cut..., danger to others-some people also might be infested with bugs, danger to property-chopping into walls to get the bugs, there could be cause to have him committed. Essentially you go to court and file paper work, the judge hears your case and issues a bench warrant to have him held for 24 hour observation. Then the sheriff's dept finds him, usually where you tell them he will be, and they take him forcefully to the local emergency room. Once there, they do some blood work, run some tests, to ensure there isn't any underlying medical issue like diabetes or brain tumor, the blood work will also test for various street drugs. Once all that is completed they either discharge, after 24 hours, or they refer him to local psych unit. From there his behavior is observed for 3 days. Then they introduce meds they think are appropriate. Typically, this lasts for about 30 days, or until he is stable and able to participate in his care and treatment. You will be allowed to visit him in the hospital and will be encouraged to take part in his care/treatement plan.

The laws are different for each state and country, so some of the above info might not be accurate for where you live. The mentally ill have rights and as long as they are not a danger to themselves or others, they have the right to leave a facility after a certain length of time. Usually, once they are stabilized on the right med, they are rational enough to know they need to complete the treatment as prescribed.

Accupuncture and juicing does not cure mental illness such as what you describe. Although accupuncture has been shown to be of great value for stress/anxiety. Juicing... No accurate studies on diet affecting mental health have been published to date.


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## pale-blue-eyes

Ya this whole situation is very tricky, i really don't know what to do or how to handel it anymore. This past weekend I basically just broke down and cried for days and H was still just pissed off that I was incapable of seeing the "bugs". 

He sees a general health prac. but is on meds for anxiety already so not sure if approaching that angle is going to do anything. He said he is going to call her to get a full diagnosis/recommendation to dermatologist for diagnosis but hasn't yet. Interesting you mention the excessive coffee drinking, he has been drinking a ton of coffee lately and hadn't touched it before (well since we have been together). He used to do illegal drugs but that was over a decade ago so I don't think that is affecting him now. I try to be encouraging and keep my patience but i'm exhausted and at the end of my rope. This coupled with his boarderline personality disorder is just getting to be too much to handel. I've basically just withdrawn and spend as much time away from the house as possible. At this point I guess I have to wait until he does go in for diagnosis and see how he reacts when they tell him the results. I wish I could take a break/leave for a few days but were college students and can barely afford to pay the electricity bill much less a hotel room. I don't want to go to friends or family because I don't want to make things worse between us. Its just really sad and breaks my heart but I feel like I can't keep sacrificing myself (which I've been doing for years, even before this newer issue) for someone who makes no attempt to even consider what i'm saying or my feelings. I've been asking him to go to a therapist with me for years and he won't. So i'm really just stuck here until he choses to take action.


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## Anon Pink

So wait, you guys are early 20's? This is the average onset of schizophrenia.

1. Call his doc and report all the symptoms including the excessive coffee drinking.
2. Call your family AND his and report the same. You need help and allies in dealing with this!
3. Get him to a doc ASAP!

This is serious crap, this isn't high school, you are not ratting someone out to the teacher!

Stop sweeping this under the rug! Now get a grip and make the calls!


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## Waking up to life

pale-blue-eyes said:


> I don't want to go to friends or family because I don't want to make things worse between us. Its just really sad and breaks my heart but I feel like I can't keep sacrificing myself (which I've been doing for years, even before this newer issue) for someone who makes no attempt to even consider what i'm saying or my feelings. I've been asking him to go to a therapist with me for years and he won't. So i'm really just stuck here until he choses to take action.


Um...YOU are not making things worse between you. He is. He is mentally unstable and you are putting yourself at risk trying to manage him by yourself. Call the local mental health society. Call his doctor. Call someone in student affairs at your college. SOMEONE surely can help you get out of this mess you feel trapped in. If nothing else works, leave him while he's not home. Leave him a note telling him kindly that he needs to get help for himself, and until he does, you cannot stay there. Go stay with a friend or family member for a little while. You are NOT stuck...I know it feels that way, but you aren't. Act quickly before his psychosis progresses and he starts seeing you as the enemy.


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## Tigger

Actually he sounds very dangerous and unstable. It sounds like you are afraid of him.

Have you called any professional to discuss this? I would do this today. 

You can bet people wished they would have called someone sooner on Jared Loughner or others who just snapped with their mental illnesses.


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## EleGirl

Does he have any family or friends who can help you with this.

Since he is not just experiencing the feeling of bugs on himself but seeing them everywhere, it sounds like he's in psychotic state. 

I have a nephew who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic. But his doc told us that he could be bi-polar as both can exhibit psychosis.


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## Waking up to life

EleGirl said:


> Does he have any family or friends who can help you with this.
> 
> Since he is not just experiencing the feeling of bugs on himself but seeing them everywhere, it sounds like he's in psychotic state.
> 
> I have a nephew who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic. But his doc told us that he could be bi-polar as both can exhibit psychosis.


I have to disagree with the bipolar comment. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. People's moods swing dramatically from extreme highs to extreme low...but they don't lose touch with reality altogether and become psychotic or delusional. If they do, there is almost assuredly some other disorder in play as well, such as schizophrenia. Regardless of what the OPs husband's diagnosis is, though, his is experiencing psychosis and is not able to make rational decisions for himself. It is extremely unlikely that he will voluntarily get help on his own. You asked a good question, though, does he have any family the OP can contact? If he has any relationship with his parents, they should be informed of this ASAP.


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## 827Aug

He really needs to be seen by a mental health professional for a proper diagnosis. A general practitioner is not equipped to handle a case like his. This is serious. If you can get him committed to a psych facility, it will be doing him a huge favor.


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## Gaia

Pale I have a few questions for you. 


Does your husband smoke?
Has he ever popped pills?
You mentioned he used to do meth? He may very well have relapsed and got back into it. 
Are there any other delusional behaviors he exhibits? 
Has he ever had a spastic episode where he punched, kicked, or threw things?
Does he seem cold and distant?
Does he move slow and sometimes stop and seem like he were a robot that was suddenly shut off temporarily? 
Has he ever seemed to forget things at times or seem easily distracted? 

What other behaviors does he exhibit?


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## Gaia

827Aug said:


> He really needs to be seen by a mental health professional for a proper diagnosis. A general practitioner is not equipped to handle a case like his. This is serious. If you can get him committed to a psych facility, it will be doing him a huge favor.


I agree with this but I do want to stress that you not forcebly admit your husband. Try to talk to him first. What is it that he does that frightens you?


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## concerned1965

Pale Blue eyes ,

I am going through the exact same thing with my wife and it started about six weeks ago . 
Your story sounds very similar . I am trying to learn as much as I can about it but there are many unanswered questions .
Number one being : How do I get her help if she does not think she has a problem . 

Let me know how things are going . I think in my wifes case it is her medication but it has been very hard to convince her of that and she is spending most of her time seeking out pest control people and anyone related . In other words anyone but doctors.


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## EleGirl

Waking up to life said:


> I have to disagree with the bipolar comment. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. People's moods swing dramatically from extreme highs to extreme low...but they don't lose touch with reality altogether and become psychotic or delusional. If they do, there is almost assuredly some other disorder in play as well, such as schizophrenia. Regardless of what the OPs husband's diagnosis is, though, his is experiencing psychosis and is not able to make rational decisions for himself. It is extremely unlikely that he will voluntarily get help on his own. You asked a good question, though, does he have any family the OP can contact? If he has any relationship with his parents, they should be informed of this ASAP.


If you disagree that some people with bi-polar disorder can experience psychosis, then you will need to take it up with the psychiatrists at the University of New Mexico Mental Health Hospital who discussed this with me in relationship to my nephew’s mental health issues. Also you will need to take it up with the rest of the psychiatric community that agrees with them.

“Bipolar disorder is an illness that affects a person's ability to regulate their moods. The two main mood swings are mania and depression and most people familiar with the illness have at least a basic understanding of these two symptoms. *But when it comes to bipolar psychosis, knowledge can be limited and this very complex and very normal part of bipolar disorder is often underreported or missed until it's too late. *One reason for this is that there are still many people who don't know that psychosis is common for people with Bipolar I (one) during manic and depressive episodes and is often present in Bipolar II (two) depression as well. But the main problem is that the general public has such a distorted view of bipolar psychosis, it's difficult to find real and helpful information regarding this fascinating and often very destructive symptom of bipolar disorder.”

Do a Google search on “bipolar psychosis”

What is Bipolar Psychosis? - HealthyPlace

Bipolar Psychosis Symptoms

Bipolar disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Waking up to life

EleGirl said:


> If you disagree that some people with bi-polar disorder can experience psychosis, then you will need to take it up with the psychiatrists at the University of New Mexico Mental Health Hospital who discussed this with me in relationship to my nephew’s mental health issues. Also you will need to take it up with the rest of the psychiatric community that agrees with them.
> 
> “Bipolar disorder is an illness that affects a person's ability to regulate their moods. The two main mood swings are mania and depression and most people familiar with the illness have at least a basic understanding of these two symptoms. *But when it comes to bipolar psychosis, knowledge can be limited and this very complex and very normal part of bipolar disorder is often underreported or missed until it's too late. *One reason for this is that there are still many people who don't know that psychosis is common for people with Bipolar I (one) during manic and depressive episodes and is often present in Bipolar II (two) depression as well. But the main problem is that the general public has such a distorted view of bipolar psychosis, it's difficult to find real and helpful information regarding this fascinating and often very destructive symptom of bipolar disorder.”
> 
> Do a Google search on “bipolar psychosis”
> 
> What is Bipolar Psychosis? - HealthyPlace
> 
> Bipolar Psychosis Symptoms
> 
> Bipolar disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Thanks for the info. I will read up on that. My H has bipolar 2 so I have been pretty well educated about it. However, bipolar psychosis isn't something I've heard much about. I would imagine it's a much less common manifestation than the mood swings. 

@Concerned1965: what medications does your wife take that makes you suspect they are causing her delusions?


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## Anon Pink

concerned1965 said:


> Pale Blue eyes ,
> 
> I am going through the exact same thing with my wife and it started about six weeks ago .
> Your story sounds very similar . I am trying to learn as much as I can about it but there are many unanswered questions .
> Number one being : How do I get her help if she does not think she has a problem .
> 
> Let me know how things are going . I think in my wifes case it is her medication but it has been very hard to convince her of that and she is spending most of her time seeking out pest control people and anyone related . In other words anyone but doctors.


Hi Concerned,

Has you wife ever been diagnosed with bipolar or depression before? What medications, if any, is she currently taking?

If she has a primary care doctor, call that person. Talking to them live, not via messages, and tell them exactly what is going on. Sometimes they can work with you in getting your wife to come in for tests and hopefully they will have a plan in place to "notice" skin abrasions or scratching which will prompt your wife to confide what she sees. From there, they can send her to a specialist or they could try to stabilize her with meds so that she will become rational enough to accept appropriate treatment.

Post back and let us know how you're progressing?I hate it when people don't post back with updates!


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## EleGirl

Waking up to life said:


> Thanks for the info. I will read up on that. My H has bipolar 2 so I have been pretty well educated about it. However, bipolar psychosis isn't something I've heard much about. I would imagine it's a much less common manifestation than the mood swings.
> 
> @Concerned1965: what medications does your wife take that makes you suspect they are causing her delusions?


What I was told by the psychiatrists treating my nephew is that it’s often misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, thus leading to the wrong treatments.


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## concerned1965

Has your situation improved or has it become worse since you last posted ?


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## pale-blue-eyes

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions.
I'm not afraid of him doing something to me, it's more of what he's doing to himself. Were late 20's (about 28) and the situation has gotten both better and worse. Better because he is not picking at his skin so much so the wounds are healing (some anyway) so that's good, but worse because he now sees these "bugs" "worms" whatever he thinks they are ALL OVER, and I do mean all over. He thinks they live in the microwave and fridge and wont eat because the food is "infested". I have tried talking and it isn't working so far. 

I'm pretty sure he has Borderline Personality Disorder, I myself have Bipolar and know for a fact he does not exhibit the symptoms I do. It could very well be BPD along w/ something else but I don't know. I'm trying to convince him to see a mental professional but no luck yet. It basically looks like I have to give an ultimatum (go to therapy or get divorced) or have him committed. 

Concerned, 
This is really one of the hardest things I have had to deal with and at times it breaks my heart to see him so delusional. I just have to keep in mind that for him it is very real (he even can "feel" the bugs on/in his skin) but still its hard. He won't use blankets/sheets more than once changes his clothes like 5 times a day etc. Your right there is a big lack of info on this subject and it's hard to know what to do. It is comforting knowing someone else understanding what I'm going through so thanks for sharing. I would just suggest start calling both dermatologists and mental health professionals and try to find someone who is experienced with this. Try talking to her and see if you can get her to go to the dermatologist, which shouldn't be to hard because you can say maybe they have a treatment for them or can test to see what exactly they are. (is she just seeing them around or does she think they are on her specifically?). For the mental health professional you can approach it by saying something like "this situation seems to be causing a lot of anxiety maybe we should talk to someone who can treat the anxiety and that in turn may help rid the infestation". In both cases the health professionals should be made aware of the situation before hand because if they argue against her shes going to say that they are wrong and don't know what they are talking about. If that doesn't work maybe try contacting her primary care doctor and they can help you talk to her about other treatment options, she may be more willing to see her primary cause she knows them. I wish you the best, I know what your going through and its rough. Keep me updated if you find any good treatments or ways of dealing with this as I am still in the process too.


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## EleGirl

pale-blue-eyes,

Have you called anyone for any kind of help? You need to reach out for help. Even if it means having him picked up for evaluation.

You seem to be trying to handle this very bad situation all on your own. It's too much for you. Really, it is.


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## Gaia

I agree with Ele... maybe act like it's a trip or something just to be on the safe side. Be very careful because paranoia can make a person become violent. 

I would like to ask again... has he ever done drugs or popped pills or anything? Smoke weed? This sounds like something related to that.


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## EleGirl

I googled "mental health hotline" and found hotlines all over the courty. Here one for Missori just to show you what one of the states has available.

Mental Health - Mental Illness - ACI Map

Do a search for your state. You might be able to get some ideas of ways to get him the help he needs.


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## pale-blue-eyes

Thanks, I'll try looking up what's available in my state. 
He has done some drugs but it was a very long time ago in his teens its been at least 7/8 years. 
The biggest issue is our finances, we can't really afford a doctors visit so that makes it hard. I'm trying to save up some money so hopefully I'll have enough very soon (we don't have insurance). 
Your right I am trying to handle it all on my own, mostly because we can't afford medical help right at the moment, but maybe I can find a free state hotline or something. I do think they have programs for mental health patients. 

Thanks for the help, I'll keep posting how the situation is going.


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## Gaia

If he is on medication and recently switched... that may be an issue as well. He may have taken up doing drugs again so be on the look out for that. 


Looking forward to your updates Pale. Hoping you do find a free or low cost mental health clinic.


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## EleGirl

A person in a crisis can get help.

The state hotline should be able to tell you the best hospital to get him to for help. 

I know what that hospital is in New Mexico. That I doubt this is where you live.


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## pale-blue-eyes

Ha ha, that's funny I actually do live in New Mexico. Albuquerque to be exact.


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## concerned1965

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Thanks for all the comments/suggestions.
> I'm not afraid of him doing something to me, it's more of what he's doing to himself. Were late 20's (about 28) and the situation has gotten both better and worse. Better because he is not picking at his skin so much so the wounds are healing (some anyway) so that's good, but worse because he now sees these "bugs" "worms" whatever he thinks they are ALL OVER, and I do mean all over. He thinks they live in the microwave and fridge and wont eat because the food is "infested". I have tried talking and it isn't working so far.
> 
> I'm pretty sure he has Borderline Personality Disorder, I myself have Bipolar and know for a fact he does not exhibit the symptoms I do. It could very well be BPD along w/ something else but I don't know. I'm trying to convince him to see a mental professional but no luck yet. It basically looks like I have to give an ultimatum (go to therapy or get divorced) or have him committed.
> 
> Concerned,
> This is really one of the hardest things I have had to deal with and at times it breaks my heart to see him so delusional. I just have to keep in mind that for him it is very real (he even can "feel" the bugs on/in his skin) but still its hard. He won't use blankets/sheets more than once changes his clothes like 5 times a day etc. Your right there is a big lack of info on this subject and it's hard to know what to do. It is comforting knowing someone else understanding what I'm going through so thanks for sharing. I would just suggest start calling both dermatologists and mental health professionals and try to find someone who is experienced with this. Try talking to her and see if you can get her to go to the dermatologist, which shouldn't be to hard because you can say maybe they have a treatment for them or can test to see what exactly they are. (is she just seeing them around or does she think they are on her specifically?). For the mental health professional you can approach it by saying something like "this situation seems to be causing a lot of anxiety maybe we should talk to someone who can treat the anxiety and that in turn may help rid the infestation". In both cases the health professionals should be made aware of the situation before hand because if they argue against her shes going to say that they are wrong and don't know what they are talking about. If that doesn't work maybe try contacting her primary care doctor and they can help you talk to her about other treatment options, she may be more willing to see her primary cause she knows them. I wish you the best, I know what your going through and its rough. Keep me updated if you find any good treatments or ways of dealing with this as I am still in the process too.


Hi Pale , I am sorry I didn't check back sooner . I thought you had stopped posting for a while .

I agree 100% that it is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with as well. You are the first person I have found that has any idea what I am going through . 
It's pretty incredible because I can't tell you how much your experience is exactly the same thing as what I am dealing with at the present time . She feels them on her and sees them and collects "proof" but it is usually something other than bugs like common house dust particles . 

Unfortunately in my case I had no idea she was dealing with a parasitosis nor did I know what that was . She claimed we had bugs and insisted on having an exterminator which I agreed to but she could tell I was skeptical because I said she was going overboard when she insisted on throwing out "infested" furniture . One morning she left me a note saying she wanted a divorce and moved out to live with a relative that ended up being effected by her condition .


When she left I cried for 2 weeks until I realized after reading about formication that her ritalin has this as a side effect and she was also on an anti depressant which may have been contributing to it as well . I have been in touch with her doctors and they are trying to convince her to get off of it but she likes it and doesn't want to .

It took me a couple weeks to convince her family the bugs were not really there because they were only knew that she left me because I was a heartless and didn't feel the need to treat our house for a bed bug infestation. 
Every thing you described is the same . i.e. changing clothes , sheets .....etc.. 

She is staying nearby and I try to get her food because she has lost so much weight . At one point she was feeling worms in her mouth . It was really scarey and I feared she would harm herself trying to extract them .

I took her to the emergency room one night when she was having a panic attack and I thought it would be my chance to get her some help . She told the ER doc everything about feeling them in her mouth and that she was bit all over but he found nothing but because she was not a danger to herself or others and did not want to be admitted voluntarily they had to let her go and when we left I was sure she was angry with me and was convinced I was trying to have her put away in an institution so after that she would barely have contact with me and chose instead to seek out exterminators . 

My biggest problem now is she has completely cut me out of her life and still keeps talking about divorce and keeps reminding me constantly that she contacted a lawyer already . 

I have been seeking out mental health support groups and anyone that knows anything about delusional disorders including NAMI and they are great and I highly recommend them to you . 

I am much more worried about her health than her wanting a divorce and it breaks my heart that I feel helpless that she does not want me involved because she thinks I don't believe her so your suggestion about getting her to think about seeing a dermatologist is unfortunately impossible right now .


It is about 2 months and she no longer mentions the bugs but I am getting the impression that shemay be starting to conceal her symptoms from other people because she feels everyone is against her or doesn't believe it so she is just pretending to be better . I also read that people with formication will actually do that . Her friends say she is no longer talking about bugs but she has lost so much weight and it is scaring the hell out of me and I am begging anyone she knows to get her to eat something . It is also why I think she secretly still thinks they could be there. 

I have been sending her Dr. anonymous notes because I found out recently she had me removed as a health proxy and they can no longer talk to me . 
It's a battle that never ends but I am determined to not give up on her because she is the kindest person I have ever known and would be doing all of this for me if it was the other way around and I believe that in my heart . 
The only thing I can tell you that helps me is that you keep reminding yourself you are dealing with someone that has an illness and needs your help.

Please keep me up to date .


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## EleGirl

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Ha ha, that's funny I actually do live in New Mexico. Albuquerque to be exact.


OH gee, I had read this at work and meant to get back to you. But then the thread did not come up again until today.


Has he threatened harm to himself or anyone else? If he has, take him to UNMH emergency room. If he will tell them of his intent harm, then will admit him for observation.

We did this with my schizophrenic nephew. They took him in for 72 hour observation and ended up keeping him for 2 months after diagnosis.

A week or so earlier I had taken him to Lovelace West Side Hospital Emergency room. But since he refused to admit that he was threatening harm to others they could not do anything. The doctor took me aside and told me that the only place with in in-city facity was UNMH. She told me not to take him anywhere else. For example Lovelace has an inpatient mental health facility in some place like Las Cruces… as crazy as that sounds. She said it would be weeks before we could get him in there, even for an emergency.

The UNMH mental health clinic is right there on the campus just east of hospital. 

Please check back in and let us know how things are going.


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## concerned1965

If anyone is still trying to survive and navigate through this experience with a loved one with a parasitiosis delusional disorder please check in here with me . 

I am always looking to hear from people dealing with what I am going through .


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## kramlat

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Please anyone with any experience or knowledge of this mental disorder please post any info/thoughts you have.
> 
> I wasn't sure where exactly to post this so hope this is the right area. I'm convinced my H has delusional parasitosis, a mental disorder where the patient mentally convinces themselves that they are infested with bugs. It has literally gotten to the point where I've been looking into how to have someone involuntarly comitted to a psych center. He has BPD but thats a whole other story, for now the most pressing issue is the "bugs". He is absolutely convinced that these "bugs" are EVERYWHERE, the bathroom, the bed, the living room, the kitchen, in the dishwasher and in the microwave even! To complicate things this disorder is often accompanied by physical feelings of itching/biting/crawling etc. I honestly don't know what to do or how to handel this. He is fixated on it 24/7, takes 4-5 hour showers, won't eat because he "sees" the bugs in his food (I got take out for dinner and fresh out the bag it somehow already had "bugs"). If I disagree he completly blows up and runs to find "evidence", this evidence is any speck of anything (dirt, lint, coffee grounds, etc) He literally thinks everything is a bug and has many open wounds from picking at his skin. He won't listen to me even when I'm being calm and completly ignores any observations/concerns/thought that I have about the issue. He is just mentally gone.
> 
> The biggest issue is if he doesn't get help this is going to ruin our marriage, but I know he is not going to voluntarly get help or admit it's all in his head, but if I force him or have him legally comitted I'm afraid he'll retaliate with self harm and possibly suicide. I don't know if I should contact his doctor (is she legally obligated to tell him I contacted her?) or If I need to contact an attorney who deals with adult mental disorder patients? Even if I was able to get power of attorney and have him comitted how would I get him to the hospital? I know he would blow up and completly flip out, even if the police came to escort him I can only see that situation ending badly. I don't know, I guess right now it looks like it's going to end badly no matter what.


My wife has delusions of tape worms (she is not skinny enough to have any real tape worms and doctors found no sign of any) though his delusions seem worse, she also has a delusion of a nonexistent fungal leprosy in her body from drinking a liquid as a child, and she has a delusion of being drafted at 4, but none of these seem to compare to your man's delusions. she is not trying to tear the "tape worm" out of her, pick at skin to remove the false fungal disease, and has stopped trying to respond to military delusions anymore, so I recommend you get him help fast. If he tries to end the marriage, set him free and he will probably want you back during the separation, I know my wife did after just a couple of months of no contact and she is a lot better too (the delusions are still there but they are better controlled).


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## concerned1965

My wife and I just divorced over her delusional parasitosis . When I realized she was having delusions it was too late . Her delusion was caused by a bad medication combination . I was trying to get her help , but because she didn't think she had a problem other than bugs she became convinced that I was trying to say she was crazy and have her commited . She moved out and left me a note the she wanted a divorce and then she became convinced the place she moved to was also infested . 

She thinks she got better because she had the place exterminated twice and has no idea that the reason she got better was because I called her Dr. and told them about her reaction to a medication that is known for this tactile sensation of bugs . . 

Telling her the truth doesn't matter because according to her it was real and no one can tell her otherwise . I am pissed at her Doctor because they caused all of this and won't tell her the truth because they most likely fear getting sued . 

It's very sad because I love her with all my heart and the worst part is not one person in her family or even her friends had the courage tell her the truth for fear of being treated the same as I have been .


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## 3rdspace

I've just read this thread and I'm in the same boat as several others on the thread.

My wife has had delusions around parasites for over a year. She's had problems with meth on and off for the past few years, but has been clean for the last 6 months. I think that may have been a factor in the parasitosis developing but not part of the ongoing, day to day problems. I know she's clean currently because I can tell when she's on it due to her mood, sleep cycles and her spending habits.

She's been to multiple doctors at this point, and the last dermatologist she went to she actually liked. She was advised to see the psych to help her anxiety, while also being treated for parasites. She even got as far as the infection disease doctor for tests. At this point she's been tested, and retested for parasite but everything comes back negative. In the last visit to the infectious disease doc she was told that she'd been diagnosed with delusional parasitosis and the next step was to get treatment for it with anti-schiz meds. But that's as far as it has got. 

I'm really struggling with this right now. I'm the only one who works, takes care of our 10 year old daughter 90% of the time, cooks, shops and tries to stay on top of the bills. But it's tough, and I'm really at my wits end. Meanwhile she stays home and doesn't work, spending hours in the bathroom in front of the mirror. We don't have a social life any more because there's always a reason she won't go out because of how she looks or feels.

Just this evening she was picking on a lesion on her cheek, and she was convinced she pulled a pin worm out. She was pulling up images on the computer, and making me look at them before I was able to look at the 'specimen' under the microscope. Just like all the others it was skin, which looks nothing like a worm.

I suggested she may have a chemical imbalance, and she might want to try treatment, but that was enough to have her blow up at me.

Her temper is bad at the best of times, and she does cycle from mania to depressed and is on welbutrin (although only for a few months). She does throws, yell, kick and scream easily, and honestly I don't know what to do.

We moved cross country for my new job last year and are away from all her family, and mine family is the UK. I'm really struggling with next steps.

I don't want to get her committed as I know that will be the nail in the coffin of our marriage, which has been under plenty of stress in the past. But I honestly don't know what to do.

I want to have my wife back, a friend, lover and partner, to help raise our daughter and plan for the future together. I really don't know what to do... I'm finding it hard to keep positive. This is a really long first post, I just needed to get some of this stuff out.


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## concerned1965

To 3rd space :

My wife was also on wellbutrin which is listed as one of the drugs that may cause this .

Check out this link below . My wife was on two of the drugs listed at the same time when she had her delusion . 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/odd-curious-and-rare/200911/formication


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## EleGirl

3rdspace,

Does your wife actually think she sees parasites or bugs or something?

What makes her think she has parasites?


Or does she feel like something is crawling around? If it's this, has any doctor look at her for neurological problem?


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## concerned1965

To 3rd space :

I want to add that If I can be of any help let me know . 

I had wanted to hear back from the person that started this thread but she dropped out some time ago and I have no idea if she was able to resolve her situation . 

I have lived everything you are describing. My marriage has ended but I didn't have anyone around to tell me what was happening with my wife until it was too late so there may be a chance to save your marriage if you think it can be salvaged .

One thing I can tell you is unless your wife does does so voluntarily she cannot be commited in this country unless she is a danger to herself and others . 

I tried to get my wife help by bringing her into the ER and it made her less trusting of me then she was already which did end up being the nail in my coffin .


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## 3rdspace

EleGirl said:


> 3rdspace,
> 
> Does your wife actually think she sees parasites or bugs or something?
> 
> What makes her think she has parasites?
> 
> 
> Or does she feel like something is crawling around? If it's this, has any doctor look at her for neurological problem?


It's both. She has the crawling, itching sensation. She also it convinced she has pulled worms out of her skin on numerous occasions. Which is what she did this evening.


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## 3rdspace

concerned1965 said:


> To 3rd space :
> 
> I want to add that If I can be of any help let me know .
> 
> I had wanted to hear back from the person that started this thread but she dropped out some time ago and I have no idea if she was able to resolve her situation .
> 
> I have lived everything you are describing. My marriage has ended but I didn't have anyone around to tell me what was happening with my wife until it was too late so there may be a chance to save your marriage if you think it can be salvaged .
> 
> One thing I can tell you is unless your wife does does so voluntarily she cannot be commited in this country unless she is a danger to herself and others .
> 
> I tried to get my wife help by bringing her into the ER and it made her less trusting of me then she was already which did end up being the nail in my coffin .


Define danger? She's doing permanent damage to her skin with the constant picking, cutting and scraping, specifically her face. She gets bad infections as a result and has to be on antibiotics every few months. Today she explained she was treating her boils by applying garlic to them.

So not danger in the conventional sense, but still pretty extreme.

Her temper and extreme reactions are also borderline threatening. It certainly doesn't make me feel comfortable when she gets wound up.

After some more tense moments with her tonight, she's explained how angry she is with me, because I think she has del. para., her temper has erupted and she has gone over to a friends. The friend is in vet school, so she's taken her 'worm' samples to her so that the friend can analyze them in the lab tomorrow. I have no idea when she will be back.


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## 3rdspace

I should add that she knows she's been diagnosed with delusional parasitosis and now has complete contempt for the medical profession who 'can't help her'. In her mind she is 100% convinced this is a real physical problem, infestation, etc. and she won't be happy until she's proven correct. It's alienating me, her ability to work, and her trust in medical care. 

The worst thing is that our daughter can see clearly that her Mom is sick and there's nothing we can seemingly do about it.


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## Namdeer

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Please anyone with any experience or knowledge of this mental disorder please post any info/thoughts you have.
> 
> I wasn't sure where exactly to post this so hope this is the right area. I'm convinced my H has delusional parasitosis, a mental disorder where the patient mentally convinces themselves that they are infested with bugs. It has literally gotten to the point where I've been looking into how to have someone involuntarly comitted to a psych center. He has BPD but thats a whole other story, for now the most pressing issue is the "bugs". He is absolutely convinced that these "bugs" are EVERYWHERE, the bathroom, the bed, the living room, the kitchen, in the dishwasher and in the microwave even! To complicate things this disorder is often accompanied by physical feelings of itching/biting/crawling etc. I honestly don't know what to do or how to handel this. He is fixated on it 24/7, takes 4-5 hour showers, won't eat because he "sees" the bugs in his food (I got take out for dinner and fresh out the bag it somehow already had "bugs"). If I disagree he completly blows up and runs to find "evidence", this evidence is any speck of anything (dirt, lint, coffee grounds, etc) He literally thinks everything is a bug and has many open wounds from picking at his skin. He won't listen to me even when I'm being calm and completly ignores any observations/concerns/thought that I have about the issue. He is just mentally gone.
> 
> The biggest issue is if he doesn't get help this is going to ruin our marriage, but I know he is not going to voluntarly get help or admit it's all in his head, but if I force him or have him legally comitted I'm afraid he'll retaliate with self harm and possibly suicide. I don't know if I should contact his doctor (is she legally obligated to tell him I contacted her?) or If I need to contact an attorney who deals with adult mental disorder patients? Even if I was able to get power of attorney and have him comitted how would I get him to the hospital? I know he would blow up and completly flip out, even if the police came to escort him I can only see that situation ending badly. I don't know, I guess right now it looks like it's going to end badly no matter what.


It's my understanding by dealing with a wife with schizophrenia that the only way he can be committed against his will is if he will admit he is suicidal or will induced severe bodily harm to himself. Bizarre behavior itself is not a reason whereby you can have him admitted. You can try to get legal guardianship of him through the court system, but generally the judges are very reluctant to strip away a persons indivdual freedoms. The best thing you can hope for is you can convince him to willingly have himself admitted into the hospital to seek treatment.


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## concerned1965

@ 3rd space.

Our stories are very similar . When my wife was diagnosed with a D.D. she also had complete contempt for the Doctor and myself because I brought her there . 

When I said "danger to herself " it means she is s-uicidal as someone else here pointed out . 

My wife thought the bugs were in her mouth and I feared she would harm herself trying to get them out but it wasn't enough for them to keep her . 

I tried to post a link for you to check out but this site would not allow me to post it but google .. 

"Psychology today , formication 2009 " ... It is an excellent article about what your wife is experiencing . It may be a side effect of wellbutrin or something else she is on which was the case with my wife .

Whoever your wife went to stay with will not be able to handle it for long . I suggest getting a hold of her Doctor or Dermotologist and try to get the Doctor involved without her knowing you had anything to do with it . If she thinks you are behind it she will become even more suspicious of you . 


I have learned that Dermotologist are very familiar with understanding how to talk to people with a Parasitosis delusion's in a way that does not come across as suspicious . 

If you have any questions let me know .


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## EleGirl

3rdspace said:


> It's both. She has the crawling, itching sensation. She also it convinced she has pulled worms out of her skin on numerous occasions. Which is what she did this evening.


Is she actually pulling something out of her skin? If so, I wonder what it is.

Our mental health system is so broken. I have no idea why some think it's humane to let people who are psychosis of some sort decide that they do not need treatment. How can a person in that state be considered capable of making their own choices on matters like this?


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## pale-blue-eyes

Hello, 
If anyone is still interested I am the originator of this thread, because of everything going on at the time my financials took a heavy toll and I basically became homeless for a while which meant no internet or computer that was easily accessible. As far as my husband is concerned the picking at the skin stopped slowly over time (still has dark spots on the skin) but no open wounds. Still feels the itchy and crawling sensation but somehow is able to refrain from picking. Because of the homeless situation was never able to see a doctor (it fell lower on the priority list after shelter/food/bathroom and washing facilities), just in the past 2 months finally found full time work and have a little cheap apartment, got state health insurance but they way backed up so have a dermatologist appointment in a month or so, but may be too late in my opinion. As soon as the picking lessened other delusions started happening, like him hearing and seeing things (mostly things about me cheating/being unfaithful). I actually came back to this site to gather my past postings to create a timeline of happenings and "proof" as I believe I will be going through a very nasty divorce in the coming months. He has been accusing me of all sorts of ridiculous things and I'm out of patience. 
Anyway, I'm glad this thread was so popular and hoped it helped some people, when it all first started I felt so alone and just didn't know where to turn to, everyone close to me (like my family) thought he was on drugs and couldn't understand that it was a mentally related condition. I wish all of you the best of luck and please take care of yourself in these situations, I wasn't so on top of that and my personal well being took a big hit.


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## mishu143

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Hello,
> If anyone is still interested I am the originator of this thread, because of everything going on at the time my financials took a heavy toll and I basically became homeless for a while which meant no internet or computer that was easily accessible. As far as my husband is concerned the picking at the skin stopped slowly over time (still has dark spots on the skin) but no open wounds. Still feels the itchy and crawling sensation but somehow is able to refrain from picking. Because of the homeless situation was never able to see a doctor (it fell lower on the priority list after shelter/food/bathroom and washing facilities), just in the past 2 months finally found full time work and have a little cheap apartment, got state health insurance but they way backed up so have a dermatologist appointment in a month or so, but may be too late in my opinion. As soon as the picking lessened other delusions started happening, like him hearing and seeing things (mostly things about me cheating/being unfaithful). I actually came back to this site to gather my past postings to create a timeline of happenings and "proof" as I believe I will be going through a very nasty divorce in the coming months. He has been accusing me of all sorts of ridiculous things and I'm out of patience.
> Anyway, I'm glad this thread was so popular and hoped it helped some people, when it all first started I felt so alone and just didn't know where to turn to, everyone close to me (like my family) thought he was on drugs and couldn't understand that it was a mentally related condition. I wish all of you the best of luck and please take care of yourself in these situations, I wasn't so on top of that and my personal well being took a big hit.


So sorry you have been going through this.... I understand what your are going through With the exception that my hubby is not mentally ill, just a douche. I will pray for you as others have done for me. You need to care for you. He is an adult and is mentally ill, and if it is a mental illness remember he cannot help it, he is ill, but if you cannot deal anymore than your best bet is to move forward, especially if he is a danger to himself or to you.... I wish you the best and will keep you in my prayers.


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## concerned1965

I am glad you posted something Pale blue eyes , 

I have been checking for months to see if you would let us know what happened to you as well as some of the others that have come and gone . Sorry to hear about all you are dealing with .
I am divorced now and I am left wondering what the hell happened to my life . At this point I am trying to move forward but what happened was something I had no control of .
Perhaps I was spared some of the hell you endured but I miss her every day . She was and still is the sweetest person I've ever known but she no longer trust me because she felt I didn't believe her when she started experiencing the "Bugs" which for her was very real and traumatizing . She is leading a normal life and from what I can tell she does not seem to feel them anymore since they adjusted her meds but she does not associate her getting better as having anything to do with the adjusted meds . 
Try to check back in once in a while and I wiil too . 
If anyone else is looking for advice or someone that can relate to their situation I check this thread about once a week .

If you bring him to a dermatologist contact them beforehand and let them know he is suffering from a delusional disorder . From what I can tell you they are aware of how to deal with people that are experiencing this type of sensation . That way he won't blame you or accuse you of conspiring with the Dr. and become even more paranoid that these people are also out to say it's all in his head .


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## keepingsane

Dear Concerned1965,
I, too am in your situation. I have found that in most cases there is an actual skin problem. My husband has what I believe is Candida and the skin feels itchy and like things are crawling on and in it. I have begun using coconut oil to help heal his skin and it seems to stop the sensations temporarily. Look up Candid Support or Candida help in your area, and see if your husband doesn't have some of these other symptoms. Most importantly, talk to SOMEONE and keep yourself sane.


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## Farmer44

Hello, my wife is going through the same thing you described your husband to be doing. I'm more concerned for her then what she says she sees. We have the occasional bug here and there, but this is affecting our marriage financially and emotionally. I don't know what to do. I can't prove to her what she sees is not a bug no matter what I do.


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## bandit.45

Damn. 

Never heard of this. I have heard of moose with brainworms becoming zombie moose.


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## Chelsea1

pale-blue-eyes said:


> Please anyone with any experience or knowledge of this mental disorder please post any info/thoughts you have.
> 
> I wasn't sure where exactly to post this so hope this is the right area. I'm convinced my H has delusional parasitosis, a mental disorder where the patient mentally convinces themselves that they are infested with bugs. It has literally gotten to the point where I've been looking into how to have someone involuntarly comitted to a psych center. He has BPD but thats a whole other story, for now the most pressing issue is the "bugs". He is absolutely convinced that these "bugs" are EVERYWHERE, the bathroom, the bed, the living room, the kitchen, in the dishwasher and in the microwave even! To complicate things this disorder is often accompanied by physical feelings of itching/biting/crawling etc. I honestly don't know what to do or how to handel this. He is fixated on it 24/7, takes 4-5 hour showers, won't eat because he "sees" the bugs in his food (I got take out for dinner and fresh out the bag it somehow already had "bugs"). If I disagree he completly blows up and runs to find "evidence", this evidence is any speck of anything (dirt, lint, coffee grounds, etc) He literally thinks everything is a bug and has many open wounds from picking at his skin. He won't listen to me even when I'm being calm and completly ignores any observations/concerns/thought that I have about the issue. He is just mentally gone.
> 
> The biggest issue is if he doesn't get help this is going to ruin our marriage, but I know he is not going to voluntarly get help or admit it's all in his head, but if I force him or have him legally comitted I'm afraid he'll retaliate with self harm and possibly suicide. I don't know if I should contact his doctor (is she legally obligated to tell him I contacted her?) or If I need to contact an attorney who deals with adult mental disorder patients? Even if I was able to get power of attorney and have him comitted how would I get him to the hospital? I know he would blow up and completly flip out, even if the police came to escort him I can only see that situation ending badly. I don't know, I guess right now it looks like it's going to end badly no matter what. <a href="http://talkaboutmarriage.com/images/smilies/confused.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Confused" ></a>



I know I’m late to this trend but I have just been expericing the same thing with my mom. She sees bugs everywhere even in the oven. She will show me “proof” that their are bugs but it’s just lint or dust. She gets extremely mad when I tell her the bugs aren’t real. She stays in the bathroom all day trying to get the bugs off of her, she hardly eats and never lays down to sleep because of the “bugs”. I have no idea what to do. Has anyone found help with this? I tired to get her to the doctor by telling her maybe the doctors could prescribed her a medicine that will make the bugs stop biting her but she says we don’t have insurance or the money to go to the doctors. Is their someone I can call to get help for my mom? Please help, I have no idea where to turn too.


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## brooklynAnn

@Chelsea1, this is a very old thread. You would want to create a new one for yourself.
That will help you generate more views.

Sorry, i dont where you can get help. Did you take her to a dermatolgist? I am sure they know of this issue and would be able to recommend what you need to do next.

Best of luck.


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## personofinterest

EleGirl said:


> Is she actually pulling something out of her skin? If so, I wonder what it is.
> 
> Our mental health system is so broken. I have no idea why some think it's humane to let people who are psychosis of some sort decide that they do not need treatment. How can a person in that state be considered capable of making their own choices on matters like this?


THIS. So much this. Experiencing psychosis IS very much experiencing involuntary self-harm. I never understood the desire to protect someone from themselves as being "unfair."


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