The Itch (2008)

newyorker.com

33 points·benbreen··8 comments

> Aquagenic pruritus is recurrent, intense, diffuse itching upon getting out of a bath or shower, and although no one knows the mechanism, it’s a symptom of polycythemia vera, a rare condition in which the body produces too many red blood cells.

Oh wow, so that's what that is. I get that. I always assumed that was typical; it's a pretty horrid sensation, it's like my eczema crossed with pins and needles, and it happens when I get in or out of a shower or bath, especially quite hot ones (but even just warm can do it).

I had to stop reading this article because it was making me itch all over.

Likewise. Fascinating and amazing.

You need to read it till the end, there is a surprising turn in the story...

Oh man, I remember reading this right after it was published.

How such a mundane thing as an itch can completely wreck your life and your body -- I still count it as one of the scariest things I've ever read.

There was another New Yorker story about a man (or multiple people) with some disorder that caused them to be massive assholes to everybody as well as try to harm themselves despite not wanting to. I remember one guy carried around a little business card that explained it and it described another person who would "accidentally" say "eat shit and die" as a greeting. It was around the same time period. Anybody here remember it and can link it? I've been looking for years.

I think the disease is Tourette's Syndrome. That could help with the search for the article.

South Park did an episode on that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Petit_Tourette

Cartman fakes to have tourette so he can be asshole to everyone

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