Mental Disorders

Paris

Paris Syndrome is an extremely odd temporary mental disorder that causes one to become completely overwhelmed while visiting the city of Paris. Interestingly, it seems to be most common among Japanese travelers. Of the approximately 6 million Japanese visitors to Paris each year, 1-2 dozen experience the overwhelming anxiety, depersonalization, derealization, persecutory ideas, hallucinations, and acute delusions that characterize Paris Syndrome. Doctors can only guess as to what causes this rare affliction. Because most people who experience Paris Syndrome do not have a history of mental illness, the leading thought it that this scary neurological disorder is triggered by the language barrier, physical and mental exhaustion, and the reality of Paris as compared to the idealized version.