Brain-eating parasites: Has anyone dealt with this?

I was watching this documentary on some obscure local cable channel the other day about parasites.

And they mentioned this one parasite that actually lives in the brain! They already knew it existed, but apparently, recent findings show it can actually mess with human behavior!!!
😲

It’s called toxoplasmosis!
😲

It comes from cats—it spreads to mice, which then alters their behavior too...

There's even a parasite out there that messes with fish.

Who knows? Maybe in the future, we'll find out that all this antisocial behavior in people is just the result of some undiscovered parasite?!
😕

More on that series here:

😳

The absolute best kind is the one that hits you right in the stream while you're taking a leak

😁😁😁

Lawrence Booth2 said:The best kind is when you aim right into the stream while you're taking a leak.

😁😁😁

Thank God I missed that!
😳

Don't even bring that up again.
🙂

Anyway...
What's your take on parasites that actually influence human behavior?
😳

It gets messy when you factor in religion... and the legal side of things too.

If someone is being driven by a parasite, should they really face "hell" or some divine retribution according to religious doctrine?
Or should they be held accountable under U.S. law if they aren't truly responsible for their own actions?!
😕

Look, I don’t claim to be an expert—I’m really not from around here 😉

😁
Those parasites might mess with tiny little things, like some goldfish or maybe a mouse, but when you're talking about larger mammals? Big NO NO

But then again, there are plenty of two-legged parasites out there 😁 weighing in at over 160 pounds
we've got plenty of them right here

I’ve heard quite a bit about toxoplasmosis
In the US, doctors usually run blood tests during pregnancy to check for that specific parasite, mostly because of the potential risks to the baby, right?
Because of that, you generally hear the advice to steer clear of any undercooked meat, regardless of what kind it is,
and to be careful when handling cats.

Since these precautions are really targeted toward pregnant women, I’m assuming it doesn't pose much of a threat to healthy adults,
or at least, that's what I'd like to believe.😁

I was just watching this documentary about parasites right before I took my dog out, and man, it was actually super interesting... really cool stuff.
I saw it a couple of times, once last week and then again today, but I’ve never actually seen the beginning, so I don't even know the title.
But it's seriously fascinating...
Anyone else seen it?
Also, I feel like if we keep talking about this, the moderators are gonna move us from the psychology section over to natural sciences or something... haha...

Crook said:Does someone under the influence of a parasite deserve "hell" or some kind of divine retribution according to religious doctrine?
Or should they face legal punishment if they aren't actually responsible for their own actions?!
😕

Great. Now we get to listen to endless excuses like, "Sorry, I was just possessed by a parasite." 🙂

🤣

Crook said:I caught this documentary on parasites the other day on some random local cable channel. You know the type—one of those small private stations you only stumble upon when you're flipping through channels late at night? Anyway, it was pretty wild.

Then why on earth did you even bother watching it? 😎

Some people just call it having a screw loose.😁

Or maybe they're just playing checkers while everyone else is playing chess.😁

Crook said:So I was watching this documentary on some random cable channel the other day about parasites.

And they mentioned this one parasite that actually lives in the brain! People knew it existed, but apparently, they just found out it can totally mess with how people act!!!
😲

It's called toxoplasmosis!
😲

You catch it from cats—which then hits mice and affects them too...

There’s even one that messes with fish.

Who knows? Maybe one day we'll find out all those antisocial vibes in people are just caused by some undiscovered parasite?!
😕

Pretty sure that's how you turn someone into a politician! 😲 😲

You've only got that problem because you were watching it way too closely!

Perhaps we should conduct a thorough neurological examination of our politicians;
imagine taking an MRI scan only to find nothing inside but a grinning parasite!

unknown said:What if it turns out down the road that antisocial behavior in people is actually just the result of some undiscovered parasite?
😕

Well, you’ll probably have one of those yourself soon enough. 😉

You'll know exactly what I mean. 🙏 🙏

I saw a link recently to some article claiming that about 90% of people in France have toxoplasmosis, and in Germany, it’s somewhere around 60 to 70%.

The wild part is that toxoplasmosis actually alters behavior—basically making infected people more prone to taking reckless risks. But I don't quite get it: if cats have been living alongside humans since the dawn of time (or at least for a good long stretch), shouldn't toxoplasmosis just be a standard part of being human? If those numbers are even remotely accurate—though I haven't been able to track down a solid source for them myself—then such a massive percentage suggests that "normal" human behavior might actually include being under the influence of toxoplasmosis. 😕
Based on that logic, people in France should probably be the most fearless crowd on the planet. 🤔

We saw how the French handled things back in '41.
During that whole mess in Algeria
and even now, they won't touch Iraq

😁😁😁

so basically

🙂

Forget that nonsense, we ran into those French guys back in Leiria last year 🤮

Aside from the Italians, they’re pretty much the worst fighters out there 🤮

unknown said:So, just before I walked my dog, I was watching this documentary about parasites. It’s actually pretty fascinating stuff... I haven't even seen the beginning, honestly. I've only caught bits of it twice.
Once the week before last, and then again today. I missed the start both times, so I don't even know the title.
But it's genuinely interesting...
Anyone else seen it?
And man, I bet the mods are gonna move this thread from Psychology over to Natural Sciences or something if we keep going down this rabbit hole...

Look...
The whole reason I started this thread was to talk about how parasites affect the human psyche.
😳

If this turns out to be true, it opens up massive possibilities—like being able to clear up certain mental symptoms that manifest through behavior on a psychological level.

rapidhound78 said:Don't worry, you'll get yours too. 😉

You'll figure out exactly what I mean. 🙏 🙏

Heh.
😁

🙂
Once the sentence is served, let me just say this: they ran endless, obsessive experiments on my people. They studied us down to the last detail just to ensure that if anything actually existed, they’d be the ones to find it.
😉 😛 👋

Anthony Bailey said:Then why on earth were you even watching it? 😎

I just stumbled upon it by accident.
I was sorting through my playlist and had to turn the TV on to check the settings on the DVD player.
😳