Patients being misdiagnosed with delusions of parasitosis actually found living with chronic infections

By Rose Rash
October 15, 2007

MINNESOTA (Essential Wellness) — Whether it is caused from contaminated water, tainted food or other sources is a mystery, but patients misdiagnosed with Delusions of Parasitosis, otherwise known as D.O.P., are being systematically ignored around the U.S. and referred to psychiatrists for psychological evaluations.

“Delusory parasitosis…is a presumed psychiatric condition ascribed to individuals who are convinced, in the absence of any empirical evidence, that they are infected with an insect or parasite,” write Deborah Z. Altschuler, from the National Pediculosis Association (NPA), in Needham, Massachusetts, and colleagues. “The symptoms are debilitating and the sufferer’s distress is compounded by the lack of a concrete physical diagnosis.”(1)

These bacterial and fungal infections are erupting from exposure to environmental toxins in our tainted water, food and soil and exacerbated by poor nutrition and a weakened immune system. Symptoms of these baffling infections include flu-like fevers, headaches, diarrhea, nausea, inflammation of the eyes, skin rashes, hives and abdominal pain. Patients need to be validated not dismissed.

Richard Swanson has been suffering with a chronic illness since he was 15 years old and has yet to receive a firm diagnosis. He was once treated for Molluscum Contagiosum Virus at the University of Minnesota where the practicing physicians burned off his skin rash on his arm and sent him home with a corticosteroid cream. Years later the rash erupted and remains untreatable.

Mr. Swanson – at age 42 – has lost any hope in holding down full-time employment and has to resort to being dependent on state and federal programs for assistance. At this point, doctors refuse to even do the simplest tests, i.e., skin or liver biopsies to verify his illness. It is a chronic infection that will not subside and continues to cause him constant irritation and pain, making life unbearable.

As far back as 2000, American Oceans Campaign recognized that “various kinds of pathogens or disease-causing microorganisms can be found in water, such as viruses, bacteria, amoeba and protozoa. These illnesses, such as ocean lice, rarely threaten human life however they can lead to discomfort and can be contagious.”

Dr. Sydney Walker, in his book “A Dose of Sanity”, affirms the fact that hundreds of his patients had been misdiagnosed with psychiatric labels, when in fact their symptoms were caused by tumors, infections, toxins and other physical problems.

“People who do not have a chronic illness will never understand with it’s like to live with a chronic illness,” reflects author Lisa Copen in her book “Why Can’t I Make People Understand?” She deals on a daily basis with the fallout of patients lost in the maze of the health care system, while running Rest Ministries. Share, Care and Prayer, Inc. is another ministry that serves persons with environmental illness. Many of these people have been diagnosed with Lyme’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, systemic candidiasis, fibromyalgia and chemical sensitivity.

Efforts are currently underway at the CDC to study several different emerging infectious diseases, although it may be some time before any real answers are reported to the public at large. In the meantime, Hands-On Healer, Amandha Vollmer, suggest maintaining a healthy immune system through several healing methods: supplementing with vitamin C, zinc, anti-oxidants and probiotics, decreasing meat consumption, eating organic foods, meditation, massage and consuming lots of spring water.”(2)

Bibliography:

1. “Collembola Implicated in Delusory Parasitosis”, Laurie Barclay, M.D., J New York Entomol Soc. 2004; 112:87-95
2. “Focus on Terrain, Then Health Shall Ye Maintain”, Amandha Vollmer, On Edge, Vol. 2, 2006

Source: Essential Wellness

Delusions

of

Pus

# Anonymous Says:
May 29th, 2006 at 2:49 pm

Let me ask you something smileykins.

Did you go to a therapist for your “previous condition”?

Were you prescibed physcotropric drugs?

Two simple questions for ya.

And here’s two simple answers: No and No

(but if I’d seen a doctor and been told to I would have)

Did you go to a therapist for your “previous condition”?

Were you prescibed physcotropric drugs?

Two simple questions for ya.

http://members.cox.net/llyee/ncs_diagnosis.htm

They need to rename DOP “Morgellons Disease”, and people would take the meds.

Look at how sad this one is, rather than looking to see that her cat(s), have fleas, or allergies, and that they need to be treated, or taken to the veterinarian.

http://tinyurl.com/qqvzy

Child and animal neglect crimes are the worst symptoms this illness creates, and the world is privy to it on their message boards. They let their pets die of neglect to reinforce their beliefs. God knows they can’t help it, but I hope this one won’t, like so many others I’ve read.