Lycanthropy in Depression: Case Report

Lycanthropy is a delusional belief by the patient considering himself or others transformed into wolf or other animals. The phenomenon of lycanthropy has been recognized since two thousand years ago and referred by various sources.The subject of this report was a young single male afflicted with stuttering from the age of 12. He has had some symptoms of depression since adolescence and recently developed lycanthropy syndrome. The subject diagnosed with depression along with lycanthropy syndrome (psychotic depression) received treatment with antipsychotic and antidep-ressant medications as well as individual psychotherapy. In a two-year evaluation, the pheno-menon of lycanthropy appeared remarkably less evident and the symptoms of depression were partially improved.