The Official Capgras Syndrome Portal
by Cliff Pickover, Reality Carnival
|
People with Capgras Syndrome act as if they are in a parallel universe in which
the people they know are "doubles" or "impostors."
The material in this article is presented in greater detail in my book Sex, Drugs, Einstein, and Elves. |
When people with Capgras Syndrome see a friend, spouse,
or themselves in a mirror, they believe they are seeing
an exact double or an impostor.
Sometimes, people with Capgras Syndrome even believe that inanimate objects -- like a chair, watch, book, or lamp -- have been replaced by exact replicas. If people own a pet, the pet may be seen as an impostor, a strange animal roaming through their lives and homes.
Capgras patients are often so disturbed when they see a doppelganger in the mirror that they remove all mirrors from the home. The syndrome, named for French psychiatrist Jean Marie Joseph Capgras, afflicts thousands of people in the United States.
Some people with Capgras Syndrome have epilepsy or strange-looking temporal lobes in the brain.
The Capgras' patient identifies his or her spouse as being an imposter - identical in every possible way, but an identical replica. The patient will accept living with these imposters but will secretly "know" that they are not the people they claim to be.This reminds me of the movie "Invasion of The Body Snatchers".
If you liked this story, see:
Brain Sydrome Opens Portal to New Universe
DMT, Moses, and God.
Join the International Discussion
When we dream, we sometimes have
Capgras-like perceptions. For example, have you ever
been in your home, while in a dream, but it seems to be
not quite right, not really your home.
Is your loved one not really
your loved one?
What does Capgras Syndrome say about the thin fabric of reality? Click here to discuss.
For Further Reading on Capgras Syndrome
Capgras SyndromeCapgras Syndrome
Capgras Links
Return to Reality Carnival.
If you like stories like this, Reality Carnival has many more.