What is Catatonia? Scientists Reveal the Inner Thoughts of People in Catatonic State

It is unusual to see people sitting in a corner, completely mute and motionless, while staring around the room. Sometimes, their arms are raised and stay in that position for hours or until their mysterious state stops. There are even people who have neither eaten nor drunk for a day or two when in a state called catatonia.

Catatonia is treatable, but in some cases, it may lead to life-threatening conditions.

What is Catatonia?

According to WebMD, Catatonia is a group of symptoms typically experienced by people suffering from a mental illness. It is characterized by a lack of movement and communication, agitation, confusion, and restlessness.

Experts once thought it was part of schizophrenia, a kind of psychological disorder characterized by hallucinations and/or delusions. However, studies have shown that patients with other severe mental illnesses could also suffer catatonia. About 1 in 10 patients at some point in their illness could experience it.

Symptoms of this mysterious frozen state are unresponsiveness to stimulus, not speaking, holding the body in an unusual position, resistance to people trying to change their position, agitation, repetitive and meaningless movements, and mimicking someone else's speech and movements.

Catatonia is sometimes categorized into three types, per Psychology Today.

The first one is Akinetic Catatonia, also called retarded catatonia, which involves a lack of movement and responsiveness. The second type is Excited Catatonia, which involves excessive energy or uncontrolled movement, agitation, restlessness, and sometimes engaging in self-harm. The last type is the Malignant Catatonia, which involves other health conditions like hypertension, rapid breathing, and fast heart rate.

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What's Inside The Minds of People With Catatonia During Catatonic State?

Psychiatrist and researcher Jonathan Rogers is a catatonia specialist who had patients in the past exhibiting such behavior, wherein most of them have a severe form of mental illness and problems in movement and speech. He explains in an article in The Conversation about what could go on through the minds of people in a catatonic state and what causes it.

The case notes of some patients who had experienced catatonia and shared their experiences after the incident. However, many do not remember being in a catatonic state.

Those who do remember describe experiencing extreme fear, being aware of the pain of staying rigid for a long time but unable to move. A disturbing note from a patient said that he felt like his head was falling off his neck, so he stayed still with his forehead on the floor, believing it could save his life.

Others also said hearing voices or having hallucinations instructing them to do certain things. For instance, one person recalls being told that his head would explode if he moved and another person thought that God was telling him not to eat or drink.

Scientists have compared catatonia to "death feint," which is a behavior that animals show when faced with a predator that is bigger or stronger than them. Some prey would freeze upon the sight of their predator and believes that by not moving, their predator will not see them.

Indeed, catatonia is a mysterious condition stuck between neurology and psychiatry. But understanding people in a catatonic state will provide them help and empathy.