Formication – Feelings of Cobwebs on the Skin
Some people report the sensation of feeling as though they
have just walked through a cobweb, only to find no cobweb present.
This is a common
sensation felt by many ghost hunters in the paranormal community. The
explanation expressed from experienced ghost hunters is that the sensation is
caused by an ion change in the atmosphere, but there is no empirical data to
verify this claim.
However, psychology explains the phenomenon as Formication (sometimes known as
Paraesthesia), which is sometimes called a tactile hallucination. It is most
commonly known as a feeling of bugs walking on or under the skin. In more
recent times it has been reported as the sensation of one’s mobile phone
vibrating in a pocket against the skin when no phone is present. [1]
Formication is also a common side-effect of amphetamine
usage with many heavy users reporting instances of it. Sometimes referred to as
“meth-mites”, formication can lead to sores, gouges in the skin and ulcers. The
wounds come from the drug user picking, scratching or digging at their skin
trying to remove the imaginary insects they feel walking across their body.[2]
Formication can sometimes be experienced in other ways, such
as skin itching, pins and needles, tingling sensations. It is also claimed that sometimes the cause
can be static electricity, but in most cases of Formication, there are no
physical triggers for the sensation.
Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018
[1] Tim
Jewell & Timothy Leg PhD, (2017), Formication,
Healthline Red, https://www.healthline.com/health/formication
[2] Jerome
Litt M.D, (2009) Formication: So What’s
Bugging You?, Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/odd-curious-and-rare/200911/formication
No comments:
Post a Comment