Where panic attack and art meet: What is Stendhal syndrome?
For some people, artwork can evoke not only a visual experience but also a physical reaction. Stendhal Syndrome , also known as Florence Syndrome , is defined as "a psychosomatic reaction to extraordinary beauty." The name refers specifically to Florence because the city is home to masterpieces of Renaissance art.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?Although the symptoms of Stendhal Syndrome vary from person to person, they generally include:
- Acceleration of heartbeat
- dizziness
- Fainting
- Even hallucinations
It includes physical and mental symptoms such as.
The syndrome's name was first put forward in 1989 , and although it has been questioned by some circles over time, the number of people who have such intense reactions to works of art that they require medical intervention is not small.
This psychological state was named after the experiences of the 19th-century Romantic writer Marie-Henri Beyle (known as Stendhal ). After visiting the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Stendhal wrote:
I reached a feeling that merged with the divine emotions of the arts and passions. As I left Santa Croce, my heartbeat became irregular, as if life were draining from me, and I walked with the fear of falling.
These statements inspired Dr. Graziella Magherini , of Hospital Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. Magherini observed more than 106 tourists who had visited Florence and experienced similar psychological/physiological crises. All of these individuals exhibited various acute reactions after viewing the Florence artwork.
Interestingly, all of these cases were foreign tourists, as these symptoms were not observed in Italian citizens.
WHY FLORENCE PARTICULARLY?A 2021 study published in the journal European Psychiatry examined some factors that may contribute to the emergence of this syndrome. According to the results:
- Solo travelers
- Individuals between the ages of 26-40
- People who experience jet lag and travel fatigue
may be more susceptible to this syndrome.
According to the researchers:
For art enthusiasts, arriving in a city like Florence, where famous works gather, is like encountering all its heroes simultaneously. This aesthetic intensity is a phenomenon that speaks to the special power of Renaissance art.
These psychological reactions, not unique to Florence, have also been observed in other cities. Paris Syndrome is characterized by dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and even psychiatric symptoms experienced by some people arriving in Paris after a long journey.
This syndrome was first described by Japanese psychiatrist Hiroaki Ota in 1986 .
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