More Exotic Psychiatric Problems

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

Alice in Wonderland syndrome, also known as Todd syndrome, is a condition caused problems in the way the brain processes visual information. In this condition, the sufferer may experience bizarre distortions of size, shape, and color. There may be micropsia, belief that the surrounding world is tiny, or macropsia, belief that one is surrounded by giant objects and people. The condition usually does not occur all the time, although there may be attacks several times a day.

The condition often improves with rest, or with the use of a group of medications known as calcium channel blockers or another group of medications known as beta-blockers. It may also be necessary to strictly avoid foods that trigger migraine attacks.

Dissociative Fugue

A dissociative fugue is a temporary inability to recall personal history, especially the facts surrounding a traumatic event. The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the DSM 5, classifies this condition as a subset of dissociative amnesia, which is not limited to the inability to recall traumatic events. Dissociative fugue usually occurs in the context of severe stress, whether physical or emotional, and is usually treated with supportive therapy rather than with drugs.

Foreign Accent Syndrome

In foreign accent syndrome, an individual speaks his or her native language as if she had a foreign accent. 

Stockholm Syndrome

In 1973, a group of bank customers taken hostage during a bank robbery in Stockholm developed an unusual attachment to their kidnappers, cooperating with, identifying with, and helping them despite the fact they were victimized by them. This mindset came to be known as Stockholm syndrome, a profound psychological reorganization that takes place under extreme stress. In the bank robbery case, the kidnapped customers refused to testify against the captors even after the robbers were caught and the customers were released. The next year, kidnapped newspaper heiress Patty Hearst took part in a robbery organized by her kidnappers. Stockholm syndrome is usually addressed by talk therapy and by treatment of any other concurrent psychiatric conditions.

See Also: Foreign Accent Syndrome: Does It Really Exist?

Lima Syndrome

Lima syndrome is the opposite of Stockholm syndrome. In Lima syndrome, victimizers become sympathetic to the wishes and needs of their victims. In 1996, fourteen terrorists associated with the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement in Peru took several hundred business executives, diplomats, and Peruvian military officers and government officials hostage at the residence of the Japanese ambassador to Peru. Unexpectedly, within a few day, the terrorists had released most of their captives, including the mother of the then-president of Peru and a future president of the country. After months of negotiations, all but one hostage was eventually released. For obvious reasons, Lima syndrome is usually not treated. It is believed to result from guilt, moral indecision, or failure to adapt to stress.