Pica Disorder

[Legs]

Anyone every had symptoms of Pica?



Pica includes strong cravings for non-food items.

The most frequent are

o Dirt, clay

o Paint chips, plaster, chalk

o Cornstarch, laundry starch, baking soda

o Coffee grounds

o Cigarette ashes, burnt match heads

o Rust

o Other items that are not usually considered food


* Pica is usually found in

o Pregnant women

o People who have psychiatric disturbances such as hysteria

o People with developmental disabilities or similar impairments.

o People whose family or ethnic customs include eating certain non-food substances

o People who diet, become hungry, and then try to ease hunger and cravings with low-calorie, non-food substances.

[Pyrrho]

Had a brief period during which I felt a mild urge to swallow the small thumbscrews that hold my PC cover in place. Didn't do it, though.

[livius drusus]

I licked rocks as a child. If I had had any idea I could have eaten them I would have, but the non-chewable thing stumped me.

[Veritas]

I recently read a book which touched on this (among other psychiatric disorders).

From The Edge of the Couch, by Dr Raj Persaud.

He also mentions lycanthropy and vampirism. Fascinating.

[ScalyKumar]

Anyone every had symptoms of Pica?

I don't know if the condition I have falls under this or not, but I have the strong desire to kill whoever created Picachu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picachu). It's a very good thing I wasn't born in Japan. :whup:

[xyza]

I haven't had any symptoms but my dog did when he was a puppy, he would lick anything rusty, if he could pick it up he would try to eat it.

When I've been pregnant I've only craved things like tomatos (something I've never liked) and that was the give away to my mum, shame she never shared with me :sigh:

[Godwhacker]

Grape Nuts is close to sand, isnt it?

[Adora]

I chewed crayons and blu-tack when I was a kid.

That was some sticky multi-coloured mess when it came out the other end.

[Dingfod]

I used to eat Elmer's glue and library paste and chewed on paper.

[Godwhacker]

I used to eat play doh when I was a kid. I also recall sand from my sandbox getting in my mouth and teeth...but that wasn't deliberate

[Legs]

Okay I confess, I am attracted to burnt match heads - the wooden matches.

Not recently but when I was a kid/teen I would have the urge to lick the burnt match head :shrug:

[livius drusus]

I love the smell of those. I can definitely see the attraction.

[seebs]

My cat will lick nearly any plastic.