What is Alice in Wonderland syndrome?

Philippines
March 27, 2012 1:12am CST
You've probably read and seen movies about Alice in Wonderland and have wished to visit he same place, Alice in Wonderland, other than being a popular airy tale, is also a name used for a neurological disorder. People with Alice in Wonderland syndrome are unable to differentiate reality from the imaginary. They experience a complete misrepresentation of reality. They are confused by everything they see. They have acute visual disorders relating to shape, size, color, and the order of things and objects. In the eyes of someone suffering from AWS, a door knob may look as big as the door itself. Chairs and tables can look as if they're floating at the ceiling and spin in midair. Objects around them appear to be growing or shrinking. Because their visual perception is altered, people with AWS lose their sense of reality and can't tell what is real and what isn't. AWS can occur as a symptom of migraine, epilepsy, acute fever, schizophrenia, or as a result of taking hallucinogenic drugs. AWS episodes can occur several times a day and can last from a few minutes to a few weeks. Children are most commonly afflicted but adults can also acquire it. This disorder causes fear and confusion because patients think they are going crazy due to the strange and fracrured vision and hallucinations.
3 responses
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
27 Mar 12
thanks for sharing. I wonder why children are mostly common afflicted. what is the reason for that? If this is mostly a disorder with children does it mean the brain is not working well/developed well or something else is?
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
27 Mar 12
I am no medical expert, however, this syndrome of Alice in wonderland, really do not knew it. I had not even heard on TV. I was aware of another childhood disorder called "The Peter Pan syndrome", which is when a child it "refuses to grow up." But what you have treated, it is an argument for me totally new. However from what you described seems to be a considerable problem for children who suffer from it.
• United States
27 Mar 12
HMMMMM I wish I had Alice in wonderland syndrome... lol jk kinda just sounds like the people suffering of this syndrome are just trippin basket balls