The Internet has made a huge difference in people’s lives. Information, once difficult to obtain, is now easier than ever to find and very valuable in everyday life. This is obviously true, especially if you have a new disease such as Morgellons. Morgellons sufferers often spend hours trying to discover what this devastating disease is, who created it, where it came from and whether or not it is contagious.

And therein lies the rub; many debunkers of Morgellons say that this is not a real disease and the only way to catch it is by surfing the Web. They say that Morgellons sufferers are self-diagnosed and there is no scientific evidence to prove that Morgellons is in fact a real disease. They go on to say that Morgellons sufferers share stories that generate the symptoms and more symptoms then generate more stories, much like a snowball effect. They claim that Morgellons is delusional and that Morgellons victim’s self-abuse their skin to create their own non-healing lesions and press fibers from clothes closets into their skin to create the appearance that fibers actually do grow out of their skin. The debunkers of Morgellons also state that because of blogs, forums, and social networking sites that Morgellons has proliferated to the point where this disease seems to spread based upon common stories that are ‘made up’ on the Internet and can not in any way be true.

What is Morgellons disease? According to the Morgellons Research Foundation, lead by Dr. Randy Wymore at Oklahoma State University, “Most individuals with this disease report disturbing crawling, stinging, and biting sensations, as well as non-healing skin lesions, which are associated with highly unusual structures. These structures can be described as fiber-like or filamentous, and are the most striking feature of this disease. In addition, patients report the presence of seed-like granules and black speck-like material associated with their skin.

Although skin symptoms are of particular interest to this foundation and are extremely troubling to patients, they are also a vital clue that something is terribly wrong with the body. More significant than skin symptoms, in terms of the diminished quality of life of the individual with this illness, are symptoms unrelated to skin, to include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia (ME), joint pain, and significant problems with concentration and memory.

Remarkably, not all people with this disease have overt skin lesions, as some individuals report intact skin. The troubling sensations and accompanying physical structures are the consistent clues to this infectious process.” Further research demonstrates that there are approximately 93 common symptoms and not all symptoms need be present for self-diagnosis.

This viewpoint creates some very interesting questions:

• How can people around the world suffer the same delusion if they have no access to the Internet or each other?
• Why is it that when scientists apply scorching heat to the Morgellons fibers, they do not burn, but rather disintegrate at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit?
• How is it explained when scientist analyze the fibers that grow from the skin of Morgellons victims are covered in high-density polyurethane?
• Is there a rational explanation why Morgellons babies, coming from a water-filled environment (the womb) are born with hard lesions and the newborn child has no fingernails with which to scratch themselves?
• How is it possible to video-tape ‘critters’ coming out of Morgellons victim’s skin if they are delusional?

Clearly there are more questions than answers.

You do not have to have been in the US Civil War to know that it happened. You also do not have to have been there 30 years ago when AIDS victims presented themselves to the medical community for help to know that they were treated about the same way that Morgellons victims are being treated now. They were dismissed as ‘delusional’ often incarcerated involuntarily in mental hospitals, ridiculed and told “it is all in your head.” Thirty years later, AIDS is a pandemic disease rivaling Cancer that decimates the victim’s immune system.

What happened in order for the medical community to actually ‘take a real look’ at AIDS for them to invest BILLIONS of dollars into AIDS research? There needed to be a financial incentive for researchers and pharmaceutical companies to devote money to discovering what AIDS is and how to effectively treat it.

When Morgellons Disease infects a US Senator, a celebrity or some other well-known personality, sufficient public attention will arise and when there are sufficient numbers of victims, the established researchers and scientists will begin to investigate Morgellons Disease in earnest.

In the mean time, what can a Morgellons victim do to reduce the relentless pain and suffering? They turn to the Internet to find lotions and potions that occasionally produce some minor and temporary relief. They share stories and support each other in any way that makes sense to them. Some have taken ‘dog de-wormers’ and other harmful substances labeled ‘not intended for human consumption.’

It is a huge stretch of the imagination to assume that Morgellons victims have made up stories based upon what they have seen and shared on forums and blogs. These people suffer 24/7 with the sensation of ‘critters’ biting and scratching them. They endure non-healing lesions and severe ‘brain-fog’, depression which can lead to suicide, chronic fatigue and irritability. Their bones ache and some Morgellons victims experience their hair and nails falling out.

These Morgellons victims need to be treated with respect and compassion, not distain and contempt. They are our mothers and sisters, fathers and brothers and they need our understanding and caring. They need to be listened to and taken seriously. They are human beings that suffer horribly. Who knows; you may become symptomatic from Morgellons Disease and wish you were believed as well.