Stendhal's Syndrome

Stendhal Syndrome: A Psychological Response Among Tourists

“…In 2010, Bamforth 4 published evidences of similar symptoms as concluded from the experiences of the two psychologists, Carl Gustav Jung and Sigmund Freud, both of whom had reported symptoms pertaining to SS. In his autobiography, Jung talked about an incident in Pompeii where he was mentally and physically overwhelmed by artwork.…”

“…Freud too, reported a similar encounter with art during his visit to the Acropolis of Athens. 4 The encounter incited in him a feeling of enthusiasm followed by a sense of depersonalization and alienation. This overpowering mental state was stimulated by Sigmund Freud's lifelong fascination with the ideas of Acropolis and the Greek civilization.…”

“…The debilitating condition was marked by a short episode of palpitation, dizziness, and the lack of physical strength to even walk by himself. 4 The description of Stendhal's overpowering experience in his book based on the "Travel Disease" or "Art Disease" instilled the confidence in many tourists, who experienced anxiety and agitation during their trip to Italy, to talk about their discomfort candidly.…”

Stendhal syndrome: a clinical and historical overview

“…The etiology of the syndrome has been regarded overall as a product of the experience of finding oneself in a city or a building that allows the visitor to behold wondrous works of art, the greatness of the past and its historical perspective 2,3 .…”

“…He continued to journey across the Italian peninsula for three more years until he decided to return to his homeland in France. He died in Paris on the March 23, 1842, from a stroke 3 .…”