| Imagine this - it is a nice clear night and you are tired. | | | | potential and possible causes were found. There are |
| You intend on going to sleep soon. Before going to | | | | several and some include classic migraines, the |
| bed, you walk outside to take out the trash. While | | | | Epstein-Barr virus and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Not |
| walking back inside, a car passes in the nearby street. | | | | only were potential causes found, but it is also being |
| But unlike any car you have ever seen before, it is | | | | said that children from the ages of 5-10 most |
| unusually small. In fact, you feel like you are a giant in | | | | commonly suffer from AIWS, usually at night when |
| proportion to the car. As you walk towards the door | | | | lighting is scarce. |
| of your house and reach for the knob, you see your | | | | AIWS is also known as Micropsia. Micropsia, in short, |
| hands outstretch for what seem like miles (and the | | | | is a condition that affects visual perception- objects |
| doorknob seems to be far away as well). And as you | | | | look smaller than they really are. Therefore, it makes |
| walk into the house you see that your couch is huge. | | | | sense to note that to someone suffering from this |
| What is going on? | | | | condition, objects may appear to be far away and |
| These are all symptoms from something known as | | | | "stretching into the distance," just as real faraway |
| "Alice In Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS)." It is | | | | objects tend to look small. A condition with the |
| something that I have not heard much about before. | | | | opposite effects of Micropsia is known as Macropsia. |
| But after reading one person's experience, I decided | | | | Those who suffer from Macropsia see things bigger |
| to do some research. Believe it or not, many people | | | | than they really are. AIWS is often used to refer to |
| may experience this. It sounds like it comes from a | | | | either condition. |
| description for the effects of substance abuse or | | | | Treatments for AIWS vary. This is due to the fact |
| maybe a sickness or illness of some sort. But some | | | | that there are several potential causes. In fact, I was |
| people who have suffered from this say they have | | | | unable to find any one definite treatment that would |
| been to doctors, had MRI scans and could ultimately | | | | help in every case. It seems the route most people |
| not find what was wrong with them. | | | | would take would be to either check for or cure the |
| Imagine experiencing these symptoms on occasion. It | | | | potential causes. Migraines are said to be a potential |
| would be a very big inconvenience. Not to mention | | | | cause, so some people with AIWS try to treat the |
| the stress from not knowing why you are | | | | migraines. The same would apply to other potential |
| experiencing it. Yet others who have experienced | | | | causes. |
| AIWS have said it sometimes would not go away. | | | | AIWS has some strange effects. The idea that it can |
| The causes for such a strange and possibly unheard | | | | happen to anyone is scary. Most often, it seems, |
| of experience seem elusive. It can be difficult to | | | | they occur in children. Obviously, the name "Alice in |
| pinpoint the trigger for something that others have | | | | Wonderland Syndrome" stems from Lewis Carroll's |
| not experienced. Without the ability to compare | | | | "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." But it is very |
| cases and accounts, one would have to guess the | | | | interesting to note that Carroll did have at least one |
| potential causes. | | | | episode of a classical migraine during his lifetime. Thus, |
| The internet, of course, helped change that. One | | | | there is some question and belief that he may have |
| account after another was posted. Research began | | | | actually experienced AIWS himself. Much progress |
| and sufferers of AIWS knew they were not alone. | | | | has been made since the time of the first few |
| With all the work being done by those who were | | | | publicized reports. As more research is done, |
| interested or by those who suffered from AIWS, | | | | hopefully we will know even more about AIWS. |