Have you ever wondered what went through the head of the person who created the story of Alice in Wonderland? Did you know that it is the graphic and visual representation of a disease? Had you suspected that the author might have a syndrome or a disorder in order to create his work?
Keep reading Psychology-Online and we will see the Symptoms, Causes and Treatments of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome.
The micropsy or Alice in Wonderland syndrome is a psychological disorder that consists of distortion of visual perception. This affects the way you perceive yourself and other objects as well. The micropsy would purely be perceive objects in a smaller way than they really are.
There are also other types of Alice in Wonderland syndrome such as macropsia -see objects larger than they actually are-, pelopsia -see objects closer than they are- and telopsia -the objects are perceived further away-. In addition, the notion of time is also lost and distortions can also occur in the body itself, that is, it can be perceived that the body itself increases or decreases in size.
The syndrome does not only affect visual perception. Distortion about the size of objects is also altered through the sense of touch and hearing. On the other hand, the image of one's own body would also be distorted. Other fairly common symptoms are:
- Migraines
- Sickness.
- Dizziness
- Agitation.
- Microsomatognosia: it is perceived that parts of the body itself or this in its entirety are shrinking.
- Macrosomatognosia: The body or parts of it are believed to be increasing in size.
- Losing the sense of time, that is, there is no good time perspective so it is sometimes perceived that time passes faster than it actually is or slower.
- High consumption of tyramine.
As a general rule, there is an awareness of hallucinations, so it would not enter into the diagnosis of psychosis.
How is Alice in Wonderland Syndrome diagnosed? To be diagnosed with this disease, other disorders such as psychosis must be ruled out. However, there are no specific criteria so it is often misdiagnosed.
Why does Alice in Wonderland syndrome happen? It is believed that there is a genetic component and that it is also related to migraines, brain tumors or also the consumption of different psychoactive. In this article we explain the effects of drugs on the nervous system. Lack of sleep can also cause it. Other possible causes are, getting the Epstein-Barr virus, have the mononucleoisis and the ddecreased blood flow in various regions of the cerebral cortex, which can be produced by diseases such as encephalitis or epilepsy.
How is Alice in Wonderland syndrome cured? There is no established treatment, although Alice in Wonderland syndrome often resolves on its own over time. Some methods include treating a migraine or establishing a low tyramine diet.
Different types of drugs are often used such as anticonvulsants, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, or beta blockers. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has occasionally been used. Correct sleep habits are also insisted upon.
Regarding the more psychological treatment approach, the acceptance of the problem and guidelines of action are established for the moment in which the distortions appear. It is also useful to join support groups in order to feel more accompanied and understood.
The name of the syndrome is due to the belief that the author of the work, Lewis Carroll, suffered from this disease, which is why he could have been inspired by his work.
The experiences that Alicia would have could be experiences of the author himself, who is known to also suffered from migraine, one of the possible causes of the syndrome. However, it is believed that in the author's case, the syndrome may also have been caused by consumption of a hallucinogenic fungus, since in his diaries the episodes sometimes anticipated the attack of migraines. In this article we talk about hallucinogenic drugs. If we realize it, it is characterized by alterations in Alicia's conception of her own body and of reality. At the same time, the protagonist experiences the impression of not knowing well what is happening around her about time and even about his own personality.
there was also a drawing of an elf missing the left half of its face and the upper left limb. This seems to support the hypothesis that the onset of her illness occurred before Alice began writing in wonderland, so it is highly probable that the work was the description of several of its episodes of it.
On the other hand, the syndrome it is quite common in children, so it would not be surprising if the author suffered from the disease since childhood. Between 1955 and 2015, 169 cases have been reported and the majority were less than or equal to eighteen years of age.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: Symptoms, Cause and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Neuropsychology.
