Effect of Cultural Themes on Forming Cotard’s Syndrome: Reporting a Case of Cotard’s Syndrome with Depersonalization and Out of Body Experience Symptoms
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences October 15, 2013 Alireza Ghaffari Nejad, A. Mehdizadeh Zare Anari, F. Pouya
A case report describes a female patient with Cotard's syndrome whose nihilistic delusions were shaped by Persian folklore, specifically a belief that she was killed by a creature named 'Aal'. The patient also experienced out-of-body experiences, depersonalization, and complicated grief. The authors conclude that cultural and superstitious beliefs can influence the formation of Cotard's syndrome symptoms and that symptom resolution may occur gradually.