Pica (disorder)
Pica | |
---|---|
Stomach contents of a psychiatric patient with pica: 1,446 items, including "453 nails, 42 screws, safety pins, spoon tops, and salt and pepper shaker tops". (Wikipedia) | |
Specialty | Psychiatry, Clinical psychology |
Symptoms | Persistent eating of non-nutritive substances |
Complications | Infections, intestinal obstruction, toxicity |
Causes | Unknown |
Treatment | Behavioral interventions, medication (when related to a mental health disorder) |
Pica is a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent craving to consume substances that are largely non-nutritive. The range of consumed materials can be broad, including biological substances like hair (trichophagia) or feces (coprophagia), natural elements such as ice (pagophagia) or dirt (geophagia), and a variety of chemical or manmade materials. The term 'pica' is derived from the Latin word for magpie, a bird known for its indiscriminate eating habits.
Classification and Symptoms[edit | edit source]
Pica is classified as a feeding and eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The primary characteristic is the recurrent consumption of non-nutritive substances for at least one month, which is inappropriate for the person's developmental level and not part of a culturally sanctioned practice.
Causes[edit | edit source]
The exact cause of pica is currently unknown. However, it has been associated with other mental health disorders, including developmental disorders, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Pica can also occur during pregnancy and in individuals with certain nutrient deficiencies, such as iron deficiency anemia.
Treatment[edit | edit source]
Treatment for pica often involves behavioral interventions, such as reinforcing non-pica related behaviors, providing alternative activities, and educating individuals about the potential harms of non-nutritive eating. In some cases, medication may be used to treat the underlying mental health disorder associated with pica.
Complications[edit | edit source]
Pica can lead to a range of complications, depending on the substance consumed. These can include gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation, infections, and toxicity from ingested materials.
See Also[edit | edit source]
- Eating disorders
- Feeding disorder
- Psychological disorders
- Trichophagia
- Coprophagia
- Pagophagia
- Geophagia
Pica (disorder) Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD