12 Strange And Little Known Mental Disorders

Today, the human mind is still one of the biggest unknown factors in the world. Delirium, dissociative states, overwhelming experiences, changes in the brain… the list goes on. There are many strange and little known mental disorders.

As disturbing as it may be interesting, the human mind has the ability to fascinate us and think of something so wonderful, infinite, and astonishing. Still, although most people have heard of mental disorders such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder, there is a long list of other mental disorders that are very strange and unusual.

In today’s article we will talk about a list of less common mental disorders that still affect ordinary people.

Strange and little known mental disorders:

Capgras syndrome

The sufferer is completely convinced that someone close to them has been replaced by an identical fraudster. This type of delirium is more common in people with schizophrenia, although it also occurs in patients with dementia, epilepsy, or head injuries.

2. Fregoli syndrome

This is the opposite of Capgras syndrome. In the case of Fregoli syndrome, the sufferer believes that different people are in fact the same person who is able to change their appearance and that they pretend to be different.

Cotards syndrome

The affected person has a delusion that he or she is dead and does not exist. They believe that their body is rotting, or that they have lost all their blood or their internal organs. It is most commonly observed in patients with psychotic depression or schizophrenia.

4. Paramnesia

This disorder is characterized by a delusion that a place has been copied  – that there are two copies of the same place at the same time. For example, a patient may believe that the hospital where they live has been copied and also exists elsewhere. It is as if they feel that they are experiencing parallel worlds.

5. Alien hand syndrome

People who suffer from this disorder believe that their hand does not belong to themselves, but that it controls itself. Sometimes people with  Alien hand syndrome think they have been possessed by a spirit or something similar. This usually happens in people who have suffered an injury to the corpus callosum, which is what connects the two halves of the brain.

6. Micropsia or Macropsia

This is a neurological condition in which the perception of images, space and time is distorted. The most disturbing symptom is changes in body images, because the sufferer may be confused by the size and shapes of their own body parts. This leads to very real fear and anxiety.

It is most commonly associated with migraines, brain tumors, drug use, and infections. The best treatment is rest. Sometimes it is also referred to as “Alice in Wonderland Syndrome”.

7. Jerusalem Syndrome

The Jerusalem syndrome is characterized by the presence of compulsive ideas, delusions, or other themes related to religious experiences. They are triggered by a visit to the city of Jerusalem.

The syndrome is not limited to any particular religion, and often occurs in people who have a history of mental illness before their stay in Jerusalem. Delusions or obsessions tend to disappear after being away from the area for several days.

8. Paris syndrome

The Paris syndrome has been observed in Japanese citizens visiting the French capital. They often suffer from a nervous breakdown during the visit, but it has also been observed in Japanese tourists in other parts of the world.

It appears to be a severe case of a culture shock, leading to physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety, including loss of reality, delusions, hallucinations, and more.

Of the six million Japanese tourists who visit Paris each year, only about 20 are affected. Suspected triggers can be idealization, the language barrier, physical and mental exhaustion, and confrontation with radically different cultural habits.

9. Dissociative Fugue

People who suffer from this episode wander suddenly and confused from place to place without being aware of their own identity and what led them there. Usually these episodes are initiated by mental disorders, a strong period of emotional and physical stress, intake of psychotic medications, certain medical conditions…

10. Foreign accent syndrome

Those who suffer from this speak in their mother tongue, but with a foreign accent. It is a rare disorder that usually strikes after a major head injury, or any damage that affects the brain’s cell nuclei for speech.

11. Stockholm syndrome

This is characterized by the fact that the kidnapper feels sympathy and loyalty to the kidnapper. It has been described in cases of kidnapping, rape, child abuse, marital abuse, and more.

Oddly enough, this syndrome is named after a bank robbery in Stockholm (Sweden) in 1973. The hostages were so attached to their kidnappers that many even refused to testify against them.

12. Lima syndrome

This is the opposite of Stockholm syndrome. Here the hostages end up getting sympathy from their kidnappers, who bow to their wishes and needs. It is possible that this reaction comes from feelings of guilt and moral indecision on the part of the kidnappers.

The name comes from a hostage situation at the Japanese embassy in Lima (Peru). Fourteen members of the  Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement held hundreds of hostages for several days, including diplomats and the military. But over time, the hostages were released by their attackers, because they began to understand the situation they had created.

13. Stendhals syndrome

Stendhals syndrome is characterized by physical and emotional anxiety, dissociative experiences, confusion, and even hallucinations a person experiences when viewing a work of art.

This usually happens when they see a particularly beautiful or exaggerated work of art concentrated in one area. You can give the same label to a person’s extreme reaction when confronted with the immense beauty of nature. Experience is usually limited, and the people affected do not need more intervention than minimal support measures.

12. Hoarding

This syndrome is characterized by extreme neglect, social isolation, apathy, and forced collection of garbage. It is mainly observed in the elderly and is associated with progressive dementia. Let us discuss some of the strange behavior of the man who gave the name to this disorder.

Diogenes from Sinope (412 or 404 BC to 323 BC). He was a Greek philosopher who was cynical and minimalist. His philosophy was based on the belief that the meaning of life could be found in virtue, that one lives in harmony with nature, and that one rejects all conventional desires (wealth, power, fame).

It is said that he lived in a wine barrel in the streets of Athens, and he was known for his rude and free-spirited behavior in his interactions with Alexander the Great. On one occasion Alexander said to Diogenes, “Ask me what you want.” Diogenes replied, “Remove everything that protects me from the sun.”

The diseases we have described in this article are just a few from the huge list of incredible psychological disorders that will make you very surprised. We hope you enjoyed reading about them!