How Do You Spell AUTOPHAGIA?

Pronunciation: [ˌɔːtə͡ʊfˈad͡ʒə] (IPA)

Autophagia is a word that describes the act of eating one's own body parts. The spelling of this word, in IPA phonetic transcription, is /ô-tof-ˈā-jə/, with stress on the second syllable. The "aut-" prefix derives from Greek autos, meaning "self", and the "-phagia" suffix comes from the Greek "phagein", meaning "to eat". This rare behavior can be observed in animals as well as humans suffering from certain psychiatric disorders. Autophagia is considered a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.

AUTOPHAGIA Meaning and Definition

1. Autophagia refers to a rare and unusual form of self-mutilation where an individual engages in the act of biting, chewing, or eating parts of their own body. Also known as autosarcophagy or self-cannibalism, this condition involves the deliberate destruction or consumption of one's own flesh, normally without any apparent motive or purpose.

   Autophagia is considered a pathological behavior and is often associated with severe mental disorders, particularly psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia or psychosis. This act can manifest in various ways, ranging from biting off small portions of skin or nails to more extreme cases where larger parts of the body, such as fingers, limbs, or organs, are intentionally cannibalized.

   Individuals who suffer from autophagia may experience various factors contributing to this abnormal behavior, such as hallucinations, delusions, self-hatred, or an extreme form of self-punishment. Despite not being a common phenomenon, it can have severe consequences, including infection, severe bleeding, or permanent bodily damage.

   Treatment for autophagia typically involves a multidisciplinary approach, including psychotherapy, medication, and behavioral interventions. Psychotherapeutic techniques may focus on identifying the underlying causes of the behavior, addressing any underlying mental health conditions, and helping the individual develop alternative coping mechanisms.

   Given the potentially life-threatening nature of this condition, early intervention and appropriate treatment are crucial in addressing autophagia and reducing the harm associated with this self-destructive behavior.

2. Biting one's own flesh.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for AUTOPHAGIA

• autophagio
• zutophagia
• sutophagia
• wutophagia
• qutophagia
• aytophagia
• ahtophagia
• ajtophagia
• aitophagia
• a8tophagia
• a7tophagia
• aufophagia
• augophagia
• auyophagia
• au6ophagia
• au5ophagia
• autiphagia
• autkphagia
• autlphagia
• autpphagia

Etymology of AUTOPHAGIA

The word "autophagia" is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "auto" meaning "self" and "phagein" meaning "to eat". In Greek, "autos" means "self" and "phagos" means "eating". The suffix "-ia" is added to indicate a condition or state.

Derived from these roots, "autophagia" refers to the psychological disorder characterized by the compulsion or desire to consume parts of one's own body, such as hair, nails, or skin.

Plural form of AUTOPHAGIA is AUTOPHAGIAS