Dreams of Paris: A Reality Check
Analysis of Paris Syndrome.
Paris has always been one of those places abroad that many people dream of visiting. Since we were kids, we've imagined it as a romantic, fairy-tale city because of all the TV shows and movies we've seen. But is Paris like that?
I've never been to Paris myself, but I don’t know anyone who found it to be as they imagined. Quite the opposite, many say Paris isn’t as clean as expected, and it has problems with safety and high living costs. This makes sense to me—understandably, the excitement before going abroad and the images from the media might not match up with reality. I admit, this can be surprising, and even quite disappointing. But can it make you sick?
There's something called Paris Syndrome, mostly seen among Japanese tourists, which is a psychological stress triggered by the disappointment of the visit, where the reality doesn't meet their high expectations.
Psychiatrist Dr. Hiroaki Ota first identified this condition in the 1980s. Common symptoms include sweating, dizziness, hallucinations, and some acute delusions. Although it's noted that about 20 out of the approximately 6 million tourists who visit Paris each year might seriously experience this syndrome, it isn’t listed in official psychiatric manuals like the DSM. This suggests it's more of a cultural shock than a recognized disease.
It would therefore be wise to have modest expectations if Paris is on your itinerary. Nevertheless, I believe Paris is always worth seeing and experiencing.
Note:
The photo is generated by AI.
References:
Uyarlayan, E. F. (n.d.). Paris Sendromu: Paris Seyahatinize Yönelik Abartılı Beklentileriniz, Yaşadığınız Hayal Kırıklığı Sonucu Psikolojik Sorunlara Dönüşebilir mi? - Evrim Ağacı. Evrim Ağacı. https://evrimagaci.org/paris-sendromu-paris-seyahatinize-yonelik-abartili-beklentileriniz-yasadiginiz-hayal-kirikligi-sonucu-psikolojik-sorunlara-donusebilir-mi-9633
Özgür, G. M. (n.d.). “Paris Sendromu.” Dr. Gülşah MERAL ÖZGÜR | Psikiyatrist - Psikoterapist. https://gulsahmeralozgur.dr.tr/paris-sendromu/