ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Man into Wolf

Okay, so you know how sometimes in stories or movies, a person can turn into a wolf? Well, that's not something that can really happen in real life, but it's fun to pretend!

In real life, people can't turn into animals like that, no matter how much they might want to. However, some people do have a condition called "clinical lycanthropy," which makes them believe that they can turn into a wolf or other animal.

This condition is actually a type of mental illness, which means there's something going on inside their brain that's making them think and feel things that aren't true. It's like if you thought you were a superhero and started running around in a cape, but you didn't actually have any superpowers.

Most of the time, people with clinical lycanthropy are able to get help and manage their symptoms with therapy and medication. It's important to remember that they're not actually turning into wolves, but they might need a little extra support to feel better.