Adult Rumination or Merycism

QUESTION: Have you ever heard of a man chewing his cud? There is a man who
lives in our community who, I am sure, does this quite often. Does he need
help?
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ANSWER: There is a rather rare condition called Merycism or adult rumination
that might explain what you believe you are seeing. While involuntary
regurgitation is normally seen in infant, it has been known to occur in
adults. It usually occurs within a half hour of eating, and the patient will
rechew the small amounts of food that have returned to the mouth before
swallowing it again. It's often a very private action, not usually noticed by
others, but during periods of stress the individual may be less careful to
hide what is going on. It occurs in individuals with some emotional disorder,
who suffer no nausea or pain during the episode. The explanations of why and
how this occurs offer little help, but some psychiatrists believe it expresses
and unconscious wish to attack or reject a threatening person or object. If
this is the situation here, the individual might benefit from medical and
psychiatric help.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.