Fregoli Syndrome: Everyone is the Same Person, but in Different Forms

24 نوفمبر 2022

What if I told you about a person who distrusts all people, even the closest people to them, and sees them all as one person in disguise who wears the masks of different characters. And that this person is always chasing after them seeking to harm and destroy them. You will often consider my words a kind of fantasy, and you will not believe such a thing. The shocking thing is that such a situation can be a true reality in life. This is what you will learn about through this article.

What is Fregoli syndrome?

Fregoli Syndrome: It is a psychological disorder, not a disease. As it is rare and one of the strangest psychological disorders that a person can suffer from. It makes the affected person imagine or suspect that all people around them, whether they are family members, relatives, co-workers, or strangers, are one particular person, but this person disguises themselves in many ways and changes their appearance;That is, the same goal, but with different personalities and methods. The affected person also believes that he -the man in disguise- is chasing them everywhere, and wants to deceive, entrap, and harm them.
Fregoli syndrome can be summed up as a person's obsession with another person, often evil and cunning, and the belief that everyone is a copy of them, but in different forms, and that he seeks to harm them.
Psychologists often associate Fregoli syndrome with Megalomania. That is because the patient believes that they are the center of the universe and that the whole world is pursuing them and has a purpose with them.
The syndrome has also been explained by someone obsessing over the patient's thinking, and exaggerating in thinking about them until the brain tends to focus on them all the time, then ending up with imagining them in all other people, and believing that they are them, but they are disguised as other characters.
However, it has been observed that most people with Fregoli syndrome have a history of head and brain related diseases or injuries.
According to the British newspaper "Daily Telegraph", and according to statistics, the cases number of Fregoli syndrome around the world since its discovery until now does not exceed 40 people.

The reason behind the name:

The reason for the name "Fregoli Syndrome" is due to the Italian actor "Leopoldo Fregoli", who was famous for his terrific and rapid ability to change his appearance and impersonate another character on stage.

The discovery of Fregoli syndrome:

French psychiatrists "Courbon" and "Veil" were the first to talk about Fregoli syndrome in 1927. In an article they explained the story of a housemaid in Paris who was twenty-seven years old, and who was a great fan of the theater. The maid has the illusion that two theater actresses are always chasing her, and that they disguise themselves as the people (close people or strangers) she meets on the street.

Also, among the cases observed is the case of a ten years old boy who believed that his father was all the people he saw, and that he was able to disguise himself as women and men.

One of the well-known cases is the case of a woman who had a stroke, often resulting in Fregoli syndrome. She believes that her ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend are stalking her and disguising themselves as several characters. She believes that they are renting houses around her to monitor and harm her in order to prevent her from telling people about her previous relationship with her lover.

Who are the people most at risk of developing Fregoli syndrome?

People who have sustained traumatic brain injury or trauma have had memory conditions, such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease, or those who take medications that alter brain chemistry are at increased risk of developing Fregoli syndrome.

Symptoms of Fregoli syndrome:

Symptoms of Fregoli syndrome are:

Delusions all the time.
Delirium and severe hallucinations.
Disturbance in the patient's self-awareness, inability to control behavior, and inability to recognize themselves, their skills and personal traits.
Temporary or long-term memory loss.
Visual memory impairment.
Recklessness and impulsiveness when dealing with others.
Dealing with denial of the truth and facts.
Loneliness and isolation from others.
Obsessions and excessive anxiety, as a result of the constant feeling of being exposed to danger.
Seizures of epilepsy, which are advanced stages of the disorder.

Causes of Fregoli syndrome:

Scientists have not been able to clearly and accurately determine the causes of Fregoli syndrome. They have identified several factors that they have noticed are related to the emergence of the syndrome’s symptoms, which are:

1. Brain injuries:

Brain injuries such as strokes, Alzheimer's disease, or severe trauma to the frontal area of the brain may lead to Fregoli syndrome.

2. Mental illness:

Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder may result in Fregoli syndrome.

3. Parkinson's disease medications:

Parkinson's disease medications, most notably levodopa, may develop visual and auditory hallucinations and delusions, which are one of the causes of Fregoli syndrome.

4. Malfunction of the fusiform gyrus:

Magnetic resonance imaging results for some patients with Fregoli syndrome indicated that they suffer from a defect in the fusiform gyrus. It is the area of the brain responsible for face blindness disease.

Treatment of Fregoli syndrome:

The psychiatrist diagnoses Fregoli syndrome by subjecting the patient to psychological sessions, asking them questions and listening to their answers and what is happening with them, or by listening to the symptoms that the parents noticed on the patient. The doctor also conducts physical examinations on the patient, identifying their medical history, and whether they were exposed recently to any severe brain injury or trauma.

The treatment is divided into two parts:

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy is carried out by a specialist or psychiatrist who introduces the affected person to the syndrome, its symptoms, causes and negative impact on their life in all aspects. They also help the patient by training them to overcome the situation, get rid of it, and restore their confidence in themselves and in those around them.

The treatment of Fregoli syndrome also requires help from parents and those around the patient, with patience and acceptance of their condition and proving that everything that happens with them is just baseless illusions, as well as by trying to urge them to join psychological support groups to communicate with people who suffer from the same disorder and have succeeded in overcoming it to learn from their experiences.

2. Pharmacotherapy:

There is no ultimate drug treatment for Fregoli syndrome. Medications for depression, anxiety, sedatives, and antipsychotics are prescribed to help relieve symptoms.

Can Fregoli syndrome be prevented?

Fregoli syndrome cannot be completely prevented or avoided. However, the risk of developing it or other mental disorders can be reduced by:

Following a healthy diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals which are necessary for the brain and memory, staying away from foods saturated with fats and oils, and reducing sugars and replacing them with natural juices.
Doing exercise and yoga regularly to stimulate blood circulation and get rid of negative energy and feelings.
Playing games, puzzles and exercises that stimulate the mind and always strengthen the memory.
Avoiding dangerous activities that may cause serious brain injury.
Boosting psychological immunity, dealing with stresses and crises in a correct manner, and learning positive thinking so that we do not get mental disorders.

Fregoli syndrome and rare psychiatric syndromes:

There are several rare mental illnesses, some of which are similar to Fregoli syndrome in terms of symptoms or cause. The most famous of which are:

1. Capgras Syndrome:

There is a similarity between Fregoli syndrome and Capgras syndrome. A person with Capgras syndrome believes that a person close to them, such as a husband, father, mother or son, has been replaced by another person who matches them in everything. Then anxiety and fear appears from them. It usually occurs in patients with schizophrenia, dementia, or epilepsy. This syndrome is treated with antipsychotic drugs.

2. Alien Hand Syndrome:

A person with alien hand syndrome believes that hands have a life on their own, and the owner has nothing to do with them as if they are a seperate body. They may move their hands and hold things without realizing it.

3. Cotard Syndrome:

A person with Cotard syndrome believes that they are dead/dying, that they do not exist, or that they have lost parts of their body. They may hear voices telling them that they are dead. They may refuse to eat or speak, harm themselves and possibly commit suicide. The cause of this syndrome is often brain problems and strokes.

4. Wendigo psychosis:

A Wendigo psychosis patient has an unusual desire to eat human flesh; A condition that first occurred in the Algonquin Indian tribe in 1661.

5. Stockholm Syndrome:

It is the victim falling in love with the perpetrator, sympathizing with him and defending him. It was discovered and named after a true story that took place in Stockholm, in which a group of thieves broke into a bank and detained the employees. The awkward thing is that these hostages showed sympathy for the kidnappers, and defended them before the authorities and the court. The explanation for this is that the victims believed that they were at risk of certain death, but the perpetrators did not kill them. They offered food and drink, so the victims were grateful to them.

6. Stendhal syndrome:

When a person with Stendhal syndrome sees something very beautiful, such as a painting, sculpture, or beautiful landmarks, they experience a fast heart rate. They suffer from panic attacks and hallucinations because of how deeply they get affected by beauty and their inability to resist it.

7. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome:

A person with Alice in Wonderland syndrome suffers from a distortion in their perception of themselves, the time and place in which they live, and the size of things around them. They may see things very small or large, and they may feel that their muscles are moving involuntarily.

In conclusion:

The person with Fregoli syndrome is a person who calls for pity and sympathy, as they live in a situation that is out of their control. Their mind and consciousness are dominated by thoughts that make them see the world as a masquerade party whose hero is one person who wants to destroy and harm them. Therefore, you must stand by them and understand their condition and help them to resort to a psychiatrist until they recover from this disorder that may lead them to the abyss.