03:09 PM
Saturday 17 September 2022
I wrote – Yasmine El-Sawy:
Actress Samah Anwar stated that she has not taken water for 17 years, stressing that she eats fruits and vegetables rich in water, tea and coffee made with boiling water instead, because her body faces many disorders and problems if she drinks water.
In the following report, the “Consulto” reviews the medical diagnosis of this condition, both psychologically and physically, according to the “Health Line” website.
psychiatric diagnosis
The vast majority of people suffer from fear towards a particular thing, and among these fears is water phobia, where a person avoids dealing with water in general, whether by eating it or swimming with it.
Water phobia is more common in women than in men, and symptoms often include feelings of malaise, tension, and the inability to take water or swim with it.
The person may also feel nausea, increased heart rate, chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and a desire to avoid water altogether.
There is no known cause of hydrophobia, but some evidence points to a genetic link. If a family member suffers from a mental disorder such as depression, stress, or any other type of phobia, the person’s chances of water phobia increase.
It is also possible that a person will have a bad experience with water at a certain period in his life, and some psychological and mental changes occur towards it.
This condition needs psychological treatment through either cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy in order to confront his feelings and fears.
physical diagnosis
There is a rare condition called water allergy, where the patient feels burning, itching and redness of the skin when drinking or touching water, and some may also suffer from rare symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing.
These symptoms appear within only 30-60 minutes, and there is no clear cause for this problem, but it may be related to an allergic reaction to certain foods and drinks.
Read also: Can’t Drink Water – Teenager Suffers From Rare Allergies
Treatment is summarized in taking oral antihistamines, topical treatments, or other medications that the doctor determines, according to each case, to control symptoms and treat.
Recent studies have indicated that there are only about 100 cases of water allergy worldwide.