Lycanthropy

The delusion of being a wolf.


A very rare symptom of mental disorder in which an individual believes that he can change into a wolf.


A mania in which one believes oneself to be a wild beast, especially a wolf.


The act of transforming from a human to an animal. Lycanthropy comes from the Greek words for wolf (lukos) and human (anthropos). Many cultures believe this concept. Even today some Native American tribes believe in shapeshifters. Most commonly, when Western people think of lycanthropy, they think of were¬ wolves, the human-wolf beings who slash their way through horror movies and who used to be common in European folk beliefs and anecdotal reports. In Africa, India, and other parts of Asia, the lycanthropic image is more likely to be a tiger.


Lycanthropy is described in many historical writings, including the Greek classic Satyricon, Saint Augustine’s fourth-century work The City of God, and many medieval accounts. Detailed accounts of incidents have been reported even in the 20th century.


 


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