Inside Morgellons: Joni Mitchells Mystery Illness - Daily Beast
When news broke Tuesday night that music legend Joni Mitchell had been rushed to the hospital, the Internet feared the worst. Authorities found Mitchell unconscious inside her Bel Air home—releasing few other details about the events leading up to it. Now reportedly resting comfortably in the intensive care unit, fans worldwide have breathed a sign of relief. But for Mitchell, who suffers from a rare disease that prompts “alien” fibers to grow under her skin, “rest” is relative. The normal ailments that come with age have no doubt contributed—perhaps prompting the ride to the ER. But there’s something else that’s kept Mitchell offstage. A medical condition so mysterious that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with doctors worldwide, doubt its existence: Morgellons. The condition is as rare as it is enigmatic, affecting just 1,400 people in the entire United States. Sometimes referred to as a psychological disease, the main symptom is the belief from the sufferer that they are infected or contaminated with something, be it a parasite or inanimate object. The music is blaring, the lights are shining, people are rocking out to your singing, and then—all of a sudden—you feel the itch. It feels like something is crawling on one leg, then your other leg, then your back. Source: www.thedailybeast.com
