Eating Disorder, OCD, fetish? Is it harmful physically?

I have a client who eats her fingernails, skin, hair, nasal discharge and bu****s, eye crust and scabs. Is this a person stuck in an infantile stage of develpment, part of a fetish (she is non-sexual and claims to have no libido) or simply a form of pica? My actual main concern however is whether the consumption of her own flesh can harm her in any way. I have heard that cannibals are more likely to develop brain diseases and I am thinking this is a form of self-cannibalism.


A recent writing assignment reveals that the sight of the blood is very important to her.

Eating Disorder, OCD, fetish? Is it harmful physically?
It shouldn't hurt her physically. Lots of kids eat snot, dried or otherwise (ever seen a toddler just letting it run into his mouth?). Gross, I know, but not harmful. Also, many of us chew our fingernails wiht no harmful effect so far. Lots of people absentmindedly chew on their hair as well. I wouldn't worry about her Physical health, unless she's self-inflicting wounds for blood/scabs.





Cannibals are more likely to develop prion disease (like mad cow) if they eat the brains of other infected people. It's not just the act of cannibalism that causes it.
Reply:Well actually the harm physically is insignificant ...





however the harm would be more of mental ... specially as she grows old ....





she needs to see a shrink ... its serious!
Reply:Everything that enters the throat either goes to the lungs (air, oxygen etc) or to the stomach. If it's dangerous to the body white blood cells will remove the threat; otherwise it goes to the stomach %26amp; gets digested for any "goodness" (protein, fat, etc) and any waste, or anything that isn't good is excreted out of the body.





I think the part about eating flesh is B-S, I don't know anyone who doesn't "eat" their hang-nails or the dry skin on their lips.