Treatment for pica syndrome will depend on the underlying cause and the severity of the disorder.
Definition: What is pica syndrome?
Pica syndrome is a behavioral disorder that involves ingesting non-food substances. This rare psychiatric illness usually affects patients who already have a personality disorder. The term “pica” comes from Latin and means “magpie”, in reference to the bird who has the reputation of eating everything, the magpie. “Pica disease is a very rare behavioral disorder characterized by the repeated ingestion of inedible and non-nutritive substances over several months” tells us Dr. Vannina Micheli-Rechtman, psychiatrist. Some classify it as an eating disorder (ED).”Others reject this qualification since what is ingested is not food and this disorder does not include bodily disorders or reference to weight.” reports Dr. Micheli-Rechtman. Pica syndrome affects both children and adults.
What are the symptoms of pica disease?
“Symptoms are manifested by the persistent consumption of non-nutritive substances over a prolonged period of time.” emphasizes our interlocutor. The substances ingested can vary from one person to another but generally we find the ingestion of:
- earth
- dust
- chalk
- pebbles
- hair (trichophagia)
What causes pica syndrome?
The causes are not yet well understood but several factors may contribute to its appearance: behavioral disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, delusional people… Sometimes eating inedible substances can be a way to cope with anxiety, stress or emotional disturbances. “I sometimes receive teenage girls who eat their hair when they are stressed and anxious.” reports Dr. Micheli-Rechtman before recalling that “This very rare disorder mainly concerns people suffering from pronounced personality disorders”.
What risks?
“Consumption of non-edible substances may cause obstructions in the digestive systemleading to serious intestinal problems such as intestinal obstructions. Some substances may be toxic and cause poisoning” the psychiatrist explains. In addition, eating non-nutritive substances can cause nutritional deficiencies and/or malnutrition.
Treatment for pica syndrome will depend on the underlying cause and severity of the disorder. It may include a combination of behavioral therapies with a psychiatric monitoring, neuroleptic treatments, anxiolytics and treatments for any associated behavioral disorders.
Thanks to Dr. Vannina Micheli-Rechtman, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, philosopher, author of “Les Nouvelles beauties fatales – Eating disorders as pathologies of the image” (Eres, 2022).