Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hallucinated sensation that insects or snakes are crawling over the skin: A tactile hallucination involving the feeling of small creatures moving on or under the skin.
   • A common side-effect of extensive use of cocaine or amphetamines: A symptom often associated with stimulant abuse or withdrawal, as well as certain medical conditions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient reported intense formication, describing it as the feeling of ants crawling up her arms.
  • A known side effect of the medication is formication, which can be very distressing for the user.

Advanced Usage

• Medical/Clinical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in medical, psychiatric, or toxicology contexts to describe a specific type of paresthesia (abnormal sensation).
  • Formication is a hallmark symptom of cocaine psychosis.
• Descriptive Use: Can be used descriptively outside strict clinical settings to vividly convey a sensation.
  • In her feverish state, she experienced a nightmarish formication across her back.

Variants and Related Words

• Formicate (verb, rare/technical): To experience or cause a sensation like insects crawling. (e.g., )
• Paresthesia (noun): A broader medical term for abnormal skin sensations like tingling, prickling, or numbness, which includes formication.

Synonyms

• Crawling sensation: A more general, non-technical phrase.
• Tactile hallucination: A broader term for a false sense of touch.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• "Cocaine bugs" or "Meth mites" (slang): Informal terms referring specifically to the formication associated with stimulant abuse, where individuals may pick at their skin.
  • He was suffering from "cocaine bugs," constantly scratching at imaginary insects on his face.

Noun

1. hallucinated sensation that insects or snakes are crawling over the skin; a common side-effect of extensive use of cocaine or amphetamines