What is Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?

THE Alice in Wonderland Syndrome refers to the famous eponymous novel by Lewis Caroll. It is also called Todd syndromenamed after the British psychiatrist John Toddwho described it in 1955,

What is Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?

THE Alice in Wonderland Syndrome characterizes a rare disorder that alters perception of self, space, and time. “It is a neurological disorder belonging to the same family as depersonalizations. It modifies the visual perception of a subject and confronts it with sometimes very impressive visual hallucinations. The writer himself was confronted with this atypical syndrome. It can draw the subject into a distorted and unreal world“, explain Rodolphe Oppenheimerpsychotherapist.

What are the symptoms of this syndrome?

Symptoms vary from person to person. In one article, the BBC relates the story of Josh Firth, 9 years old, who during a car ride at the feeling that the buildings are getting bigger. “As the car rolled along, the buildings on either side suddenly grew bigger. Josh felt like they were closing in on him.”, told the mother of the child to the British media. Like him, people with this syndrome can have several symptoms:

The various elements around her generally appearing much larger than they really are

► Macropsia: the impression that objects change in size

► A teleopsia or a pelopsia: i.e. to have a feeling more distant or closer to objects than they really are.

“Most of the time, the person will see objects in altered and disproportionate formsthe various elements around her usually appearing much larger than they really are“, confirms the psychoanalyst. According to him, people with Todd syndrome are also confronted with heavy migraines and see their perception of time modified. “Under the influence of the syndrome, time seems to pass far too quickly or far too slowly. In very rare cases, Alice in Wonderland syndrome can cause hallucinations“, he adds.

What is the cause of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?

The main causes are:

• Epileptic seizures
• Migraines
• Lyme disease
• H1N1 flu
• Taking substances such as cannabis or LSD.

Does it occur during sleep? Before to sleep ?

“Research has shown that Todd syndrome occurs following the degradation of certain areas in the brain“says Rodolphe Oppenheimer before adding”It translates to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The duration of the hallucination can last for several days“. Thus, this syndrome can occur at any timewhether during sleep or before falling asleep (and independently of the sleep-wake cycle).

What is the treatment for this syndrome?

“The syndrome poses no danger to the patient even if he can be very impressive for those around him“, makes a point of specifying the psychotherapist. He nevertheless advises to see a neurologist or psychiatrist in order to establish the causes of this disorder. “Behavioral and cognitive therapies (CBT) can also be very effective in reducing crises and thus better apprehend them when they occur”he concludes.

Thanks to Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst