A Mental Health Specialist Elucidates on 'Alice in Wonderland Syndrome'—The Rare Condition Serving as Movie Inspiration

A Mental Health Professional Discourses on 'Alice in Wonderland Syndrome'—An Uncommon Condition That Influenced the Cinematic Adaptation

Perhaps you've delved into Lewis Carroll's iconic works, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or Through the Looking-Glass, or perhaps you've encountered the 1951 or 2010 film adaptations. Regardless, most people are acquainted with Alice - the inquisitive young girl who chased a dapper rabbit into a hole, only to tumble into Wonderland.

If you're familiar with Alice in Wonderland, you're already aware of the story's illogical narrative, surreal aesthetic, and eccentric characters. These elements have sparked myriad theories about Carroll's sources of inspiration.

However, according to psychological studies, there's evidence that this rare neurological disorder might have been Carroll's muse - one that has since been named "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome."

Lewis Carroll's Migraine Symptoms

Carroll kept detailed diaries, some of which have since been published. If you read his entries, you'll find frequent references to his migraines - some so intense that they affected his vision.

On January 12th, 1856, Carroll wrote about seeking help for a persistent blurry spot that clouded his vision. “Consulted Mr Bowman, the oculist, about my right eye: he does not seem to think anything can be done to remedy it, but recommends me not to read long at a time, nor at the railway, and to keep to large type by candlelight,” he writes.

According to research from The Lancet, this blurry spot was likely a "migraine aura symptom" - one that his oculist missed diagnosing.

Migraine auras, as per research from Neurocase, are short-term neurological symptoms some individuals experience before a migraine. These symptoms can include visual hallucinations, perceptual distortions, and most unsettlingly, a radical alteration in the perception of space and time. When these symptoms coalesce, they are collectively known as "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" (AIWS).

As detailed in a systemic review from Neurology: Clinical Practice, these broader visual and perceptual symptoms often manifest in a confounding and disorienting manner. And - as the disorder's clever name suggests - many of these odd symptoms mirror much of Alice's experience once she entered Wonderland.

Here are four such symptoms of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome that may have influenced the story.

1. Micropsia

Micropsia, one of the most common symptoms of AIWS, is a visual hallucination. Specifically, this symptom creates the illusion that objects in one's visual field are much smaller than they truly are in reality.

Micropsia is most famously depicted in Alice in Wonderland (1951) when Alice drinks from the “Drink Me” bottle and starts shrinking rapidly. Although her body shrinks, her surroundings seem to remain the same; ultimately, this causes her perception of the room to warp dramatically, making her escape from the room more challenging.

The once-manageable table and key suddenly appear impossibly high; they seem impossible to reach. The table, despite being unchanged in size, is now an insurmountable obstacle for Alice - forcing her to climb to interact with it.

This visual shift closely mirrors how individuals with micropsia might perceive everyday objects; ordinary items appear miniature, yet they feel overwhelming in relation to their distorted sense of self.

2. Macropsia

In contrast to micropsia, macropsia distorts vision by making objects appear much larger than they are. Although it may seem antithetical to micropsia, it can be just as disconcerting.

This symptom is evident twice in Alice's consumption of the “Eat Me” cake in her film. After drinking the potion, Alice grows to an enormous size; while inside the White Rabbit's house, her rapid growth transforms the small cottage into a suffocating prison.

Objects like the windows, walls, and doors seem to shrink as Alice becomes increasingly aware of her own bloated size. The visual discrepancy creates a sense of claustrophobia - for both Alice and the viewers - as if the entire house is closing in on her.

This exaggerated perspective illustrates how individuals experiencing macropsia may feel overwhelmed by their environment, despite nothing really changing in reality. Suddenly, ordinary spaces and objects may feel uncomfortably large and oppressive without warning.

3. Pelopsia

Pelopsia is a symptom of AIWS that distorts an individual's depth perception, specifically making objects seemingly much nearer than they really are - uncomfortably so.

One of the most striking instances of pelopsia can be observed when Alice is lost in the Tulgey Wood. As she wanders through the forest, bizarre creatures and objects seem to materialize merely inches from her face - only to retreat into the shadows or disappear entirely.

For example, a pair of glowing eyes and a grinning mouth emerge from the darkness; they appear startlingly close, before revealing themselves to be part of a strange, playful bird.

This kind of perceptual distortion echoes the pelopsia experience. Objects or figures that should feel at a comfortable distance instead invade one's visual field, resulting in a claustrophobic sense of spatial intrusion.

4. Telopsia

Telopsia causes objects to appear farther away than they are in reality. Exasperatingly, this can create a sense of distance - even when one is well within reach of the object.

This symptom is clearly depicted when Alice pursues the White Rabbit down the corridor—this happens early in the movie following her drifting descent into the rabbit hole. As she makes a desperate attempt to keep up with him, the end of the corridor merely gets more distant; it twists, turns, rooms and doors seem to magically materialize.

The longer Alice runs, the more the White Rabbit appears to slip away from her grip. This visual trickery only intensifies her growing frustration and bewilderment as she gets to grips with her entrance into Wonderland.

For those suffering from AIWS, telopsia can lead to a frustrating disconnect from their surroundings. Objects or spaces may seem to be just out of reach, even though they're physically quite close.

Lewis Carroll's iconic portrayal of Wonderland—a world filled with distorted realities, surreal sightings and confusing spaces—may have been influenced by his own migraine aura symptoms.

For Carroll, these transient, yet deeply unsettling, perceptual changes may have served as the inspiration for Alice's startling journey. And for those familiar with AIWS, Alice's experiences may ring a chilling bell—a world where perception itself becomes questionable, and nothing is quite as it seems.

While "Alice in Wonderland" accurately depicts the experience of AIWS, many films misrepresent psychological concepts. Take the scientifically-backed Psychological Misconception Questionnaire to discover if you've been misled by Hollywood's portrayals of psychology.

Carroll's detailed diaries, published afterwards, reveal frequent mentions of his migraines, some causing intense vision issues. On January 12th, 1856, he reported a persistent blurry spot in his vision, which oculist Mr. Bowman suggested wasn't treatable but advised against prolonged reading, railway usage, and large-type reading by candlelight.

This blurry spot was likely a migraine aura symptom, misdiagnosed by Mr. Bowman according to research in The Lancet.

Migraine auras can include visual hallucinations, perceptual distortions, and even alterations in space and time perception. Hallucinations can manifest in the form of micropsia, macropsia, pelopsia, and telopsia; these symptoms can drastically alter an individual's perception of their surroundings.

For example, micropsia can create the illusion of objects being much smaller than they actually are, with Alice's shrinking in Alice in Wonderland (1951) showcasing this perception distortion. Macropsia can make objects appear much larger, causing a confounding and disorienting sense of space. Pelopsia distorts an individual's depth perception, making objects appear uncomfortably close, while telopsia creates the opposite effect, making objects appear farther away than they truly are.

These symptoms are often collectively referred to as "Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" (AIWS), as the bizarre and disorienting experiences they create can mimic Alice's bewilderment in Carroll's work.

The surreal experiences described in Carroll's works may have been inspired by his own migraine aura symptoms, introducing a unique perspective and narrative to his classic literary creations like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.