Alice in Wonderland syndrome

Narj · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:23

Isn't the internet great? That moment you think you're weird/mad so you look up your odd symptoms and find hundreds of others experience the same thing and there's a name for it.

Does anyone else here get this? It's happened since childhood, usually happens when I'm tired or have been concentrating for a long time and feels really trippy. I usually have to wait for it to go before I can stand up safely. Everything looks tiny when it happens, it's like being Gulliver.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland_syndrome

Amazing how easily our perception of the world can be changed just through some minor electrical/chemical changes in the brain. No drugs needed (which are bad anyway m'kay?)

dazzerd · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:26

Yes used to get it as a child either just as I was falling asleep or was waking disturbed from sleep was rather cool actually, just lay in bed with a towering bedroom engulfing me! Too much booze does similar nowadays

TallPaul1878 · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:30

dazzerd said:
Yes used to get it as a child either just as I was falling asleep or was waking disturbed from sleep was rather cool actually, just lay in bed with a towering bedroom engulfing me! Too much booze does similar nowadays

Yep, tiredness or booze causes it for me. It's like when I lie down in bed and it feels like I'm either sinking into the ground or I'm shrinking/the room is getting bigger.

Honestly don't like feeling like that, I like to be in control.

Dirkscooby · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:35

Yep had this when i was a kid as well.

Narj · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:39

Dirkscooby said:
Yep had this when i was a kid as well.

Was it something that just stopped happening? Funny how I still get it when it's most common in childhood but then I'm a big kid anyway.

Participant · 31 Dec 2017 at 09:54

Narj said:
Everything looks tiny when it happens, it's like being Gulliver.

Does it tend to happen when you're looking at your penis?

robgmun · 31 Dec 2017 at 10:16

Never had this

Narj · 31 Dec 2017 at 10:17

Participant said:
Does it tend to happen when you're looking at your penis?

Zing!

No it always looks that way.

Marky · 31 Dec 2017 at 10:42

Haven’t experienced this myself, but sounds fun

Nitefly · 31 Dec 2017 at 10:51

I have a similar sort of thing when my eyes are tired - I get that ‘jaws zoom in camera effect’ when I look at things, so if I’m looking at the ceiling it looks like it’s coming down on top of me. Only subtly!

One really weird thing I get is whenever I stare at any surfaces with many small holes or vents, much like any ceiling in a typical office. After a while, when my brain starts to forget other objects in the room for reference point, and my eyes can’t determine the depth of the surface I’m looking at. Then it really starts to kick off... normal colours fade and I start to see (faintly) psychedelic shapes, flashing lights, dark patterns or I have complete black outs of vision. I’m pretty sure I’ve just gone cross eyed and/or I’m having a brain spasm of sorts... but it’s so weird that my brain is triggered by this and that I can trigger it on demand by staring at such surfaces, particularly in dim light.

Can anyone top that for weirdness?

Narj · 31 Dec 2017 at 10:57

Nitefly said:
One really weird thing I get is whenever I stare at any surfaces with many small holes or vents

If you mean lots of holes like a shutter grille then yeah I get that too. I can't make out the curvature of each panel.

Looking at it from a few feet away for more than a few seconds makes me feel dizzy and cross-eyed. :eek:

Nitefly · 31 Dec 2017 at 11:03

Narj said:
If you mean lots of holes like a shutter grille then yeah I get that too. I can't make out the curvature of each panel.

Looking at it from a few feet away for more than a few seconds makes me feel dizzy and cross-eyed.

Yes, exactly that - phew, glad I'm not the only one

Kronos · 31 Dec 2017 at 11:45

I am much taller when I remove my glasses though only when walking in the street.

Efour · 31 Dec 2017 at 12:03

These are symptoms of excessive female hormones, dangerous levels in fact, in your bloodstream.

You should go see your gp or if it's in association with urges to watch EastEnders or chat shows, go immediately to A and E and demand HRT.

CapitalOne · 31 Dec 2017 at 12:08

When I see pictures of pretty ladies I feel all funny in my middle. Can I have a syndrome too please?

Roland Butter · 31 Dec 2017 at 12:46

So it's not a passion for dressing up as a 12 year old Victorian girl ?

sovietspybob · 31 Dec 2017 at 12:55

Wow never knew this had a name, i used to get it quite a lot when i was little especially at school. Very rarely get it now, i have to be very tired and staring at something.

Droolinggimp · 31 Dec 2017 at 13:35

I think I had this too as child. When I was drifting off to sleep mainly during an illness or just being really tired. Closing my eyes and feel like I am floating and everything seems really big and my body seems really heavy despite feeling like I am floating. Quite a weird, and enjoyable experience actually.

darkgen · 31 Dec 2017 at 14:03

Yep; get this all the time along. As a migraine sufferer I also get all sorts of other cool visual wizardry. Lucky me.

Orionaut · 31 Dec 2017 at 14:37

Interesting, I had a friend some years ago who was schizophrenic. She used to experience something that, from her description at the time, must have been something like this when she was having a bad day.

I wonder if it was coincidental or actually a part of the schizophrenia condition?