What is Truman syndrome?
Truman syndrome is one type of delusional disorder. In Truman syndrome, people often think they are being watched on cameras and their lives are also part of a staged reality show.
You may call it Truman show syndrome named after a popular movie Truman show released in 1998 where Jim Carrey living in a suburb, his life and all movements 24/7 were filmed and broadcast towards the world.
The story
The story of The Truman Show revolves around a man named Truman. In the Truman show the actor gradually becomes aware that everything is not right, the world appears to revolve around him, and then he wishes to escape the town in which he lives.
Two siblings named Ian Gold and Joel have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Truman syndrome.
A little more about it
- People suffering from Truman syndrome believe they are also part of fictitious reality shows. Well, these symptoms are part of psychosis. They think their family, friends even whom they work with are all part of tv shows and their home, workstation, even hospitals are part of that show.
- This is not a new type of mental illness, perhaps it is a variety of grandiose delusions.
- Some psychiatrists believe the people who have not seen such shows and do not live in modern society, are not immune to such things. They can also develop such delusions which can lead to psychosis. In the era before technology was present, people’s delusions were shaped by various facts such as people stalking them, watching their emails, physically following them.
- Nowadays there is a lot of craze regarding reality shows. People having some underlying psychiatric illnesses may develop any form of delusions similar to these shows after watching them. A person suffering from Truman’s syndrome believes that he is taped/ filmed and it has been broadcasted for entertainment. A group of patients describes that they are part of a reality show which broadcasts their day-to-day life for the entertainment of others. Some patients feel trapped in the show and want to escape from it.
- Life is not easy for these individuals. Since this syndrome has no formal diagnosis, treatment options are limited. The treatment protocol is similar to the treatment of schizophrenia or chronic paranoid type of disorder. In some cases, hospitalization may be required. After proper medication and remain under the supervision of a psychiatric doctor, many of the Truman syndrome patients make a good recovery.
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