Something That Sucks More Than Midterms: Mysterious Diseases

If you’re stressing about that exam tomorrow or paper due in a few days, don’t. With all those equations and dates and principles to memorize, it may seem like your brain is on fire! We're here to tell you that things can always be worse. Your brain could actually be on fire.

This article from CBS warns about a mysterious sickness that seems to be striking mainly young women. Appearing at first like a mental illness, the disease begins with personality changes. Affected women bounce between feeling hysterical and catatonic with no warning or explanation, prompting doctors to claim that it was like their brains were on fire. It’s no mental illness, but an auto-immune condition that causes antibodies to affect the brain.

The disease was first diagnosed by doctors at our very own Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, but its causes are still unknown. Even worse, this isn’t the first time a bizarre disease has swept through Philthadelphia. Cue the hysterical calls from Mom. Have you been Purell-ing?!?!