Self-induced anemia secondary to overvalued belief on cupping: A Case report and review of the literature

Bloodletting as a treatment for various diseases is an ancient belief; nowadays, it is practiced in many communities, especially in Asia and the Middle East. Among others, cupping is one form of bloodletting procedure. We are presenting a patient with overvalued belief (idea), he relied on cupping as a therapy to treat his headache. For many years, cupping was done for him every few months, then he tried doing it himself, more frequently. Thereafter; cupping sessions dominated his life in a way that he used to do it every few days and whenever he felt a headache. Over the years, the patient sustained severe anemia, although it was self-induced; however, it was not factitious as his intention was to cure himself rather than inducing self-harm. Management was a challenge as it was difficult to convince him to stop this practice and to consult psychiatrist.