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Drinking Yourself to Death: When Water Becomes a Poison
Potomania can be fatal. This disorder drives people to drink liters of water—or any liquid within reach—until their blood becomes dangerously diluted. The consequences? Brain swelling, seizures, and in extreme cases, death.
Unlike dipsomania (the compulsive urge to drink alcohol), potomania mainly involves water. It sometimes affects children, possibly linked to an oral fixation, but also adults with neurotic disorders, diabetes, or metabolic imbalances. Some researchers suggest a malfunction in the brain’s thirst centers, as if the brain were sending an endless emergency signal.
Treatment depends on the cause: if it’s physical (like diabetes), the underlying condition is addressed. Otherwise, psychotherapy steps in. Because water is life… but in excess, it’s a nightmare.
Source: larousse.fr
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