Who's reality is it anyway? Bonnet's? Capgras'? Fregoli's? Yours?

[Guest guest]

Welcome to a New Reality

by Dr. Cliff Pickover

 

" People afflicted with certain eye diseases give similar reports of

beings from parallel universes. "

 

The material in this article is presented in greater detail in my

book Sex, Drugs, Einstein, and Elves.

People afflicted with Charles Bonnet Syndrome see beings from another

world. Many scientists would call these beings hallucinations. Others

call this syndrome a portal to a parallel reality.

 

People with Charles Bonnet Syndrome (or " Bonnet-people " ) are

otherwise mentally sound. The beings appear when the Bonnet-people's

vision deteriorates as a result of eye diseases such as age-related

macular degeneration -- or when patients have had both eyes removed.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome is more common in older people with a high

level of education.

 

Bonnet-people report that they see apparitions resembling distorted

faces, costumed figures, ghosts, and little people.

 

Most Bonnet-people see beings wearing hats. For example, one very

sane woman was sitting quietly at home when she suddenly saw several

two-inch-high, stovepipe-hat-wearing chimney sweeps parading in front

of her. (ref 2.) She tried to catch one, but could not. Her only

medical problem was that she had poor sight due to macular

degeneration.

 

Magnification of head region of previous image.

 

One patient described how a friend working in front of a tall privet

hedge suddenly disappeared, as if he had suddenly put on a cloak of

invisibility. " There was an orange peaked cap bobbing around in front

of the hedge and floating in space by its own devices. " (ref. 1)

 

Fifty percent of Bonnet-people see a disembodied or distorted face of

a stranger with staring eyes and prominent teeth. Sometimes the

strangers are seen only in an outline or cartoon-type form, which

reminds me of the images seen by people taking the psychedelic drug

DMT. The faces " are often described as being grotesque, or like

gargoyles " . (ref. 1)

 

Some of the beings have blank eye sockets. (This image is also

reported by people using the hallucinogen Special K. One person e-

mailed me and told me that while under the influence, everything was

normal except that people in the room had no eye sockets, just a

black void, and he saw light being sucked into the void from around

the periphery of the eyeballs.)

 

Bonnet-people also see serene landscapes and vortices. Many Bonnet-

people will see entire new worlds, such as landscapes or groups of

people, which are either life size or tiny (ref 3.)

 

 

 

Perhaps when vision deteriorates, the brain's visual cortex is

starved for information, and the brain is free to access parallel

realities.

 

Sometimes the imagery can be complex, almost comical, like two

miniature policemen guiding a midget villain to a tiny prison van,

ghostly (translucent figures floating in the hallway), people wearing

one big flower on their heads), as well as beautiful (a shining

angel, wonderful group of flowers). (ref 4.)

 

Further magnification of head region of previous image.

 

A Swiss philosopher named Charles Bonnet first described this

condition in the 1760 when he noticed his grandfather, who was

blinded by cataracts, describing birds and buildings that Bonnet

could not see. (ref. 3)

 

 

Further Reading on Charles Bonnet Syndrome

1. Roger Highfield, " Ghosts and witches on the brain "

 

2. Dr Stephen J Doyle and Maggie Harrison, " Lost in Lilliput "

3. Royal National Institute of the Blind on Bonnet Syndrome

 

4. Robert J Teunisse, Johan R Cruysberg, Willibrord H Hoefnagels,

André L Verbeek, Frans G Zitman, " Visual hallucinations in

psychologically normal people: Charles Bonnet's syndrome "

 

Judging from what I know about your interests, you may also enjoy

this Reality Carnival story: " DMT, Moses, and the Quest for

Transcendence " .

 

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 " .

 

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?

 

 

Some Comments from readers of the above:

 

02-14-2006 01:32 PM ET (US)

I am a documentary filmmaker in England working with Windfall Films,

an award-winning and highly respected production company specialising

in social, historical, and scientific documentaries. I recently

stumbled across Capgras syndrome on the Reality Carnival and am

fascinated both by what it must be like to have this condition, but

equally about what it must be like when the person you love and have

married thinks that you are an imposter.

I wondered if anyone reading this, who lives with a partner with

capgrass would be willing to speak to me? Is this a recent thing? Why

do you think or have you been told did it start? How do you cope with

it>

 

this is for background research, in confidence. Although I am hoping

I will be able to make a film at some stage. My email is

francine;

best

Francine Shaw

Producer Director

Windfall films

David Moncoeur 15

 

09-25-2005 01:00 PM ET (US)

Edited by author 09-25-2005 01:14 PM

" Versitech " is a shortening for Versipellis Technology, both my own

terms for the technology extra-terrestrials use to dissemble their

actual physiognomies.

" Capgras Syndrome " is a term for genuine brain damage, though I have

discussed this technology with so-called top men in Capgras Syndrome

analysis, Hayden Ellis & Andrew Young.

I'm interested in a sensational case of alien infiltration by means

of versitech, where THREE TOTALLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT TOTALLY

SEPARATE TIMES EACH DISCOVERED THEY'D SEEN THE SAME GUY CHANGE FOR

SPLIT SECONDS INTO A SMALL LARGE HEADED ALIEN BEING FOR A FEW SECONDS

ONLY..... " Aw, God, I thought I was mad " -type conversations....have

written a book about this and had an offer for it from a publisher,

but I refused it, which altercation I would describe to any other

publisher who may also be interested....though I do accept that

Andrew Young is correctly identifying brain damaged conditions....he

& I both agreed that it was odd that a health magazine had referred

to Capgras syndrome as " a condition where a sexual partner believes

the other person in the relationship is an alien being from another

world "

also I've recently heard that four musicians in a recording studio

saw one of the engineers change momentarily into a small

being....they were far too terrified to make it worth joking " You

must all have been on LSD " or such like...

David Moncoeur

<ravemoncoeur

tom 14

 

09-16-2005 04:03 PM ET (US)

Hello, Capgras syndrom is quite interesting to study. I read a book

named " L'image pathologique du corps " written by Stéphane Thibierge,

which is a great study concerning Capgras and Fregoli syndroms. I

don't know if this book has been traslated into english...

 

 

Fregoli syndrom: when a person thinks that someone, always the same

person, is following him under different pieces of dress . Fregoli

was an actor who had the ability to change of costume, suits, very

quickly. A person who suffers from Fregoli would say that this

neighbor,the butcher and the doctor of the bloc are one person, who

has changed his dress.

 

These symptoms deal with fake or false recognitions. It's a psychotic

phenomenom due to the non recognition of his own body image by the

subject. Maybe you've heard about Lacan mirror stage and about the

mirror sign discovered by Abely and Delmas, two french psychiatrists.

 

Tom

Robert Legrand 13

 

06-12-2005 03:06 AM ET (US)

I had a client who at around 80 yrs old had a severe stroke and was

adamant that her apartment was a replica and I tried to help her by

saying how clever it was of the condo management to replace

everything so exactly. This of course did not soothe her and after a

time the thoughts would fade but reoccur each time attendants took

her out

for sunshine, etc. She died after about 3 months. Before this was a

very strong willed, intelligent person. However, no one tried to

(medical research person) tried to find out what was causing this,

this was before the very fast MRI procedures or chemical tests.

Fascinating how our reality is so tenuous for us to navigate our

version of the world.

EDDIE STAFFORD 12

 

04-25-2005 01:13 PM ET (US)

Hello,

 

My name is Eddie Stafford, I work as a researcher for a London based

production company called Tigress, part of the Tiger Aspect Group

(www.tigeraspect.co.uk). We make high profile scientific docuemntary

films for networks like the BBC and Channel 4.

 

I am keen to talk with people, for the purpose of background

research, who have had their lives affected by rare neurological

conditions, one of which is capgras syndrome. I am very keen to talk

with anyone who has any experience of capgras and would appreciate it

if you could e-mail me at the following address:

 

eddiestafford

 

Please note that by contacting me at this stage you are making no

commitment to be a part of this documentary.

 

Many thanks,

 

Eddie

Aileen 11

 

04-25-2005 11:12 AM ET (US)

Theres a couple of messages been posted, which say, how do you know

that person isn't in an othentic reality. I myself have been through

mental illness. I belivie that even through it your trying to work

out, what you yourself firmly belivie in. How intellegent are we?

Does anyone think we are trying to tap in to parts of our brain we

don't use?

Pat Caldwell 10

 

04-17-2004 10:46 AM ET (US)

No, he does not have specific pain, only his Parkinson symptoms & #0D;

make it hard for him to get up and down , can't walk very good. & #0D;

& #0D;

< replied-to message removed by QT >

Laurie 9

 

04-17-2004 07:15 AM ET (US)

Does he have specific pain or headache?

Pat Caldwell 8

 

04-14-2004 09:58 AM ET (US)

Since he had a stroke in 2002 he has not known me, his wife, he

& #0D; thinks there are 4 to 6 girls impersonating his wife, he

mistrusts & #0D; me, thinking I'm an impersonator trying to use his

ins, etc. He hides his billfold,checks,etc, because of this paranoia.

He does not believe & #0D; me when I try to tell him I am indeed his

wife. After almost 2 yrs, & #0D; I don't have mush hope of him ever

knowing me. Tks & #0D;

& #0D;

..

< replied-to message removed by QT >

Laurie 7

 

04-14-2004 04:43 AM ET (US)

I was just wondering...re: your husband...can you ask him what

specifically about your looks different? I once had a vision change

that resulted in people looking physically different to me. I had a

headache at the same time. It was very alienating. Is anything else

different? For example, did his art change? Music? Math abiity?

Personal grooming? Does he get lost more often? Has he lost some

emotion?

Pa t Caldwell 6

 

04-13-2004 10:46 AM ET (US)

My husband Stan has parkinsonion type with,what neuro says

Lbd dementia. However he thinks I am an imposter, saying I'm his

wife. What meds or treatment is there for this. Tks

Pat in SC

ZUZA 5

 

02-17-2004 05:14 PM ET (US)

I think Maru is so right,what is " the right " reality? maybe people

with mental diseases are not sick but just on a higher level - how

can we prove that there's something wrong with them and not with so-

called normal people?

Sam 4

 

01-22-2004 07:10 PM ET (US)

BobEVans -- Yeah , the name for that is Fregoli's syndrome -- where

the person thinks that people with different physical characteristics

are infact the same person....

Maru 3

 

01-19-2004 12:09 PM ET (US)

What it says is that we keep coming in the end to skepticism, that

we can't really be sure of the true reality. How could you prove to

such a person they are in an authentic reality? what the heck does

authentic reality even mean? (do the afflicted feel they are in the

wrong universe?)

Bob Evans 2

 

01-18-2004 09:34 AM ET (US)

Capgras syndrome is fascinating. Please keep adding these stories to

RealityCarnival. I wonder if the syndrome has any connection with the

theory of doppelgangers, alien abduction, or " Men in Black " ? I wonder

if there is a reverse Capgras syndrome in which people we don't know

seem like people we do know.

Cliff Pickover 1

 

01-18-2004 09:25 AM ET (US)

What does Capgras Syndrome say about the thin

fabric of reality?

 

http://www.RealityCarnival.Com

 

 

 

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

 

 

 

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Victims of Capgras syndrome often cannot recognize their own image

 

Tuesday, September 23, 2003

 

By Karen Hoffmann, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

 

In his room at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Joseph

looked in the mirror. There, he saw a man he had never seen before.

He pinched himself. The man in the mirror pinched himself. But it

still wasn't Joseph.

 

 

Daniel Marsula/Post-Gazette

 

 

 

" Do I look different? " he asked people around him. " Am I still the

same person? "

 

Rosamond, a prim, proper, grandmotherly woman from Queens, also was

having trouble with the image she saw in the mirror.

 

But in her case, she believed the woman whose reflection she

encountered in the mirrors and windows around her house was there to

torment her, to steal her husband -- the woman was clearly a stalker.

Rosamond called her a " hussy " and went into hysterics whenever she

saw her.

 

Rosamond's husband finally covered up all the shiny surfaces in their

house to prevent her outbursts, but he was afraid she would hurt

herself in an effort to attack the " other woman. " And there was no

way he could cover every reflective surface -- the plate glass of

store windows, or the rearview mirror of the car.

 

Joseph and Rosamond, whose real names are not being used, are two of

a rare group of patients whose mental illnesses involve the parts of

the brain that allow us to know we are who we think we are. Their

strange disorders also demonstrate that it's not enough for us to

recognize ourselves in a mirror -- we have to feel emotionally

attached to our image before we think it is our own reflection.

 

The technical name for Joseph's and Rosamond's delusion is " mirror

self-misidentification. " It is the most striking of the Capgras

delusions, in which someone recognizes an object but feels no

connection with it. The syndrome, named for French psychiatrist Jean

Marie Joseph Capgras, is unusual, but still probably afflicts

thousands of people in the United States at any given moment, said

one expert, Dr. Todd Feinberg, associate professor of neurology and

psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

 

Joseph's psychiatrist, Dr. Matcheri Keshavan, clinical director at

the Pittsburgh Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders, said

the delusion can also involve another person in the patient's

life. " The main illusion [Capgras] patients have is that a dear one

is an impostor, or not their real self. "

 

Keshavan explained the underpinnings of the delusion this way:

 

" We all have representations of the external world inside us, and

that includes identities of other people and our own identities.

Along with these representations of other people and ourselves, the

emotional tone that goes with such memories is also linked, so when

we remember our mothers or friends we remember them with the emotions

that go with them.

 

" But what if there is a dysfunction in parts of the brain that link

emotions with our memories? When that happens, the brain at the

subconscious level is puzzled and looks for an alternative

explanation of why that person feels different. "

 

And suddenly, the person in the mirror becomes someone else, because

when the deluded person cannot feel the emotions she normally has

toward that person, that is the explanation that makes the most sense.

 

 

An impostor poodle

 

 

Not all Capgras delusions are focused on people. Sometimes, patients

think there is something wrong with their pets or objects they own --

and in those cases, the same sense of emotional dissociation may be

at work.

 

In " Phantoms in the Brain, " Dr. V.S. Ramachandran, director of the

Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San

Diego, wrote about one Capgras patient who thought his poodle has

been replaced by an identical but different dog.

 

Keshavan said he has a patient now who, every morning, believes that

his running shoes and other items have been replaced by identical

fakes during the night.

 

And Feinberg described a patient who thought the same thing had

happened with the dishes and towels in her kitchen.

 

Keshavan said that when people have an emotional reaction to someone

they know, they sweat slightly, making the skin more conductive. That

can be measured as a galvanic skin response.

 

But when Capgras patients see certain familiar faces, their galvanic

response does not increase, he said.

 

Feinberg, who wrote a book about identification disorders

called " Altered Egos, " said he believes there is more to

understanding Capgras than just the emotional disconnection with a

familiar person or object, however.

 

Take Rosamond, his patient who thought her own image was another

woman.

 

She didn't have a problem identifying anyone but herself. She

properly identified her husband and the things around her, he said.

And the emotional disconnection theory doesn't completely explain why

Rosamond reacted as strongly as she did to her image. " Why would she

scream and yell and become so emotionally upset? " he asked.

 

One possible reason, Feinberg said, is that people with Capgras

already have ambivalent or strained feelings toward the person they

misidentify -- including themselves. One common example, he noted, is

an aging mother who has problems with a daughter who is taking care

of her, and then begins to believe that the daughter is an impostor.

 

As bizarre as these cases seem, both Keshavan and Feinberg said that

they are only more extreme versions of experiences we all go through

in everyday life.

 

Keshavan noted, for instance, that often we think someone we know

well has become " a different person " when in fact our own feelings

about the person or life in general that have changed.

 

" If we are feeling depressed or angry we might view that person in

another light and we might think that person has changed, when in

fact they are the same, but our feelings have changed. "

 

 

Like deja vu?

 

 

And Feinberg said most of us have times when we " dissociate " from

objects or events. The familiar feelings of deja vu, when a new

experience feels as though it has happened before, or jamais vu, in

which a familiar experience feels brand new, are both examples of

that.

 

" Who hasn't had a situation where you buy a new pair of shoes and you

look at the old pair of shoes and you just can't believe you were

wearing those shoes for the last six months. They look all ragged and

in disrepair. But the fact is, the shoes haven't changed -- you've

changed in your sense of relatedness to those shoes. "

 

And in dreams we often have Capgras-like delusions, he added. We may

meet two versions of a person we know in a dream. Or we may be in our

room or our office, but it looks nothing like our actual room or

office.

 

Keshavan said that about a third of patients who suffer from Capgras

delusions have either epilepsy of the temporal lobes or malformed

lobes. The temporal lobes are the parts of the brain on the sides of

the head above the ears. And Feinberg said that there tends to be

more pathology in the right hemisphere of the brain, which is the

side that " is dominant for self and self-other relationships. "

 

Is the delusion curable?

 

In both Joseph's and Rosamond's cases, it was -- but in different

ways.

 

Joseph was eventually diagnosed as having schizophrenia, Keshavan

said. When he was prescribed the antipsychotic clozapine, his

delusion went away.

 

Rosamond was cured because Feinberg tried a novel therapy on her.

 

" Rosamond's husband casually mentioned that she didn't see [the other

woman] when she looked in the mirror of her makeup compact, " said

Feinberg.

 

That gave him a brainstorm -- why not try to have her look at images

of herself in increasingly larger mirrors?

 

" I went around the office -- we had other mirrors of different sizes -

- and went out and bought a series of mirrors, " he said. " I was

ultimately able to convince her that an image of slightly larger size

was her. "

 

Eventually, Rosamond recognized that her reflection in a full-sized

mirror was indeed herself. " I was quite surprised that it worked, but

it did, " Feinberg said.

 

What lessons do Joseph's and Rosamond's experiences hold for us?

 

One conclusion, Feinberg said, is that our identities are not as

rigid and fixed as we might imagine.

 

" Although we tend to think of ourselves as having fixed structures --

we know where our body begins and ends and we have a sense of who we

are in the world -- in actuality, " he said, " our identity is in a

constant state of transformation and is always changing. "