"I Suffered Stendhal Syndrome at Universal Studio's Hollywood!"

[oxymoron]

by my very creative friend, Mark Allen

If you don't live in Europe, you probably have not have heard of a medical term called The Stendhal Syndrome. It is a (in)famous and slightly dubious medical condition that has been known to affect visitors in large European cities. In particular, Florence, Italy - a city that is home to some of the most important art and architecture produced by mankind, and an environment of cultural history that some find overwhelming... literally.

Apparently, Stendhal Syndrome is a temporary disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations and sometimes unconsciousness when an individual is exposed to excessive amounts of profound art, paintings, sculpture or architecture. It is a drastic mental (and then physical) reaction to works of art that the afflicted person finds orphically profound in beauty and importance, perhaps subconsciously. Or more simply put; it's somebody spazzing out at The Guggenheim.

Named after the famous 19th century author Stendhal (pseudonym of Marie-Henri Beyle), who first described the phenomenon in one of his writings in the 1800's, it's fantastic and peculiar characteristics have given it an "urban legend"-like status, and have assured it's strange legacy's survival throughout the lore and ages of Italian art museums and emergency rooms... even up to today. This psychosomatic affliction is hardly an epidemic in Florence, Italy... but those who do suffer from it are treated by doctors at hospitals who use the phrase "Stendhal Syndrome" indeed as a medical term. Italian doctors may crack a smile when they inform a patient that they have succumbed to "Stendhal Syndrome" - and it's use in the medical field may come with a bit of mirth - but it is a medical term in Europe nonetheless.
Don't laugh... the condition has been documented by Florenceís Santa Maria Nuova hospital's psychiatric team since 1982, and they can account for 107 known cases since that date. While the cases and their physical effects by all accounts do appear to be real - the affliction can safely be said to lie somewhere between fact and fiction... or perhaps fact and bragging. I use the word "bragging" because, according to Graziella Magherini, Italian psychiatrist and author of the novel "The Stendhal Syndrome", Europeans visiting the city are the only ones ever afflicted by the condition. Inexplicably, American and Japanese tourists to the location seem to be immune to it. Perhaps for Italians visiting or living in their homeland, its no more than just a strangely veiled pride in their fantastic cultural history. I mean what's better praise about one's cultural heritage than saying "Watch out - our art is so important, it could be DANGEROUS!".

So, you say, what's the problem? If Stendhal Syndrome only strikes people in the Old World (a place with an unrivaled and deep cultural timeline), why should Americans (with their relatively new and notoriously 'shallow' commercial culture contributions) worry about Stendhal Syndrome? It couldn't happen here, could it? ...could it?

http://www.markallencam.com/stendhalsyndrome.html

http://www.markallencam.com/

[oxymoron]

1. yeah, I'll kick it...

You can listen to the very abbreviated version on NPR at:

http://discover.npr.org/features/feature.jhtml?wfId=1324683

but check out his site...it's a hoot!

[oxymoron]

5. the rest of the story....

Flashback: me in Los Angeles, California, Spring 1989...







http://www.markallencam.com/stendhalsyndrome.html

[CanuckAmok]

2. It's the crux of the latest Chuck Palahniuk novel, "Diary"

It's a good read, and without giving away too much, Stendhal Syndrome plays a big part in it.

[oxymoron]

3. Ahh, cool...

I'll check it out. I don't know much about Stendhal Syndrome, I just really like Mark's site and thought I'd share it.

[Khephra]

6. There's also a Dario Argento film called "The Stendhal Syndrome"

That deals with this too.

[Lexingtonian]

4. sounds like a mild version of Jerusalem Syndrome

I'm not kidding. JS is considered a psychiatric disorder.

[htuttle]

7. Instant Cure for Stendhal Syndrome

Rumor has it, they keep a copy of this picture in the janitor's office at The Louvre, just for cases like this.

[Enraged_Ape]

9. Every time I see that picture, I think it's going to be the last time

That is just some scary fuckin' shit.

[meegbear]

8. Oh my God. I was a witness to that last year in Orlando.

I went with friends of mine I grew up with and their children. One of the kids was acting wierd, throwing up, etc while in the park. We tried to make him feel better, but they decided to leave. About 45 minutes later, they came back saying he was OK. Without going on a ride, PUKE!

They took him home and he was OK. Ate, swam, etc and the next day at the park, he was OK. He later said he felt "anxious" the day before when in the park.