The effervescent city of Paris is known for it’s romance, art, culture, and…a syndrome? If you’ve never heard of Paris Syndrome, you may be surprised to learn that the very City of Light has also been associated with a neuropsychiatric condition. Here is all you need to know about Paris Syndrome.
Paris Syndrome was the term originally coined by a Japanese psychiatrist, Dr. Hiroaki Ota, who observed a pattern of symptoms after Japanese tourists had visited the city of Paris. These symptoms included dizziness, sweating, and even hallucinations. It can be considered somewhere in the range of the term “culture shock”.
Why would anyone experience psychiatric symptoms after visiting such a lovely destination? According to some specialists, one theory was that Paris had been so eagerly anticipated as glorious perfection by reputation, the inevitable disappointment with not meeting those impossible standards created the rise of these symptoms.
Is Paris Syndrome Real?
Of note, Paris Syndrome is not a recognized psychiatric disorder in the DSM-V-TR, the diagnostic manual by the American Psychiatric Association that mental health professionals use to identify psychiatric illness. It has received relatively little research attention. There are also no empirically established treatments for Paris Syndrome (at least, none that have made it through peer-reviewed academic journals).
Still, reports seem to trickle through every year regarding a small handful of individuals that seek medical care in the context of the Paris Syndrome collection of symptoms.
These days, Paris Syndrome has become more generalized to mean any significant disappointment after encountering circumstances that did not live up to their lofty billings. In other words, it’s not unique to Paris (or any other esteemed city), but rather can refer to any experience such as a disappointing Broadway performance.
Stendhal Syndrome vs Paris Syndrome
There are other cultural syndromes described in the literature, including Stendhal Syndrome. Stendhal Syndrome may perhaps be considered somewhat the “opposite” of Paris Syndrome.
In Stendhal Syndrome, neuropsychiatric symptoms arise after a person is overwhelmed by aesthetic beauty or poignancy of the experience. It has been observed in patients that presented to the hospital after visiting exquisite museums with artwork masterpieces.
Again, Stendhal Syndrome is more of a description of observed patterns of symptoms, rather than an established and researched psychiatric disorder. Plenty of additional research would need to be done to find its way into the DSM-V-TR. However, opportunities for research are limited by the relatively small number of individuals that experience these symptoms.
So, Can I still go to Paris?
No need to cancel your vacation to Paris. It’s not something you catch from someone on an airplane or by drinking the Paris municipal water. If you do happen to experience a similar pattern of symptoms of Paris Syndrome, the good news is that the symptoms appear to go away within a few days on their own accord. Rest and hydration are the reported keys to help relieve the symptoms.
Do some perspective-taking before your next vacation and set realistic expectations for what you might encounter to help reduce the chances of experiencing similar symptoms.
Social media, photo editing software, and glowing marketing efforts can pain an unrealistic picture of a destination or experience.
Do you hold an over-idealized version of your planned vacation destination? Talk to someone who lives there (or at least has visited) and they’ll likely be able to share a more balanced view of the place than those filtered instagram shots.
What are your thoughts on Paris Syndrome? Comment below!
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Happy Travels,
Dr. L
Founder, PsychologyOfTravel.com
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