Fregoli Syndrome: Looks are Often Deceiving!

Individuals are Physically Different but Psychologically Alike
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This Disguise Doesn't Suit You My Friend!

One Person, Many Phases or Faces?

There are all kinds of people existing in this universe-happy, sad, angry, mad, healthy, unhealthy, ill, terminally ill, mentally disturbed, individuals with mental disorders, brave, courageous, cowards, fools, smart ones, cunning-each leading life in their own terms. Apart from such individuals, there are a rare group of people who believe that an individual can take up various physical forms but all of them are psychologically one and the same person. Confusing, isn’t it? To read and understand is quite confusing, then how about stepping into the lives of such people and experiencing their life for some time? No way! We are happy with the way we live now right?
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Fregoli Syndrome
Fregoli syndrome is a rare kind of disease in which a person believes that different people are in fact the same person who changes his/her appearance or is in disguise. It is named so after a renowned Italian actor called Leopold Fregoli who could quickly change his appearance during his performances. This syndrome is considered as a rare psychopathic condition that has common connections with schizophrenia and other organic disorders.

The first case was reported in the year 1927 by psychiatrists who reported the case of a 27-year-old female who believed that two theater actors whom she often went to see in plays were pursuing her closely taking the form of people she was associated with or knew including acquaintances, doctors, friends and other such people.

In general, people suffering from Fregoli syndrome can also recall vivid experiences related to people, objects and places. If one must explain it using the concept of ‘associate nodes’, these nodes serve as a biological link of information about other people who have a familiar face (to the patient concerned). This means that any human face that is similar to a recognizable face of a patient, the patient recalls the face as the person they know.

Symptoms & Causes
There are no many details known about this syndrome due to its rare occurrence and multiple complications attached. But, there are high probabilities that this condition is due to a brain lesion and is paranoid in nature. It is very common to find people suffering from Schizophrenia also suffering from this disorder and this is not surprising as many people affected by this schizophrenia are paranoidal in nature. So, along with hallucinations a person can also experience delusions that someone they know is disguising himself/herself and trying to persecute them.

Fregoli syndrome falls under the delusional misidentification syndromes (DMSs) that include other syndromes such as Capgras delusion and syndrome of subjective doubles. Individuals with DMS often have problems recognizing or identifying people. Capgras syndrome, also known as imposter syndrome, is a condition wherein the affected individual believes that the person they know has been replaced by an imposter. Often, Fregoli and Capgras syndrome are misunderstood and swapped. Neurobiological research on DMS show the existence of lesions on both frontal lobes and/or right hemisphere. Lesions on the right hemisphere are specifically related to Fregoli syndrome and overactivity of the peripheral cortex stays as the underlying reason for hyperfamiliarity visible in Fregoli syndrome.

Symptoms of Fregoli symptom include:

• Hallucinations
• Seizure history
• Deficiency in cognitive flexibility
• Delusions
• Visual and memory deficits
• Paranoia of the “persecutor” they visualize. Virtual reality is used in recent times to treat people with paranoia and this has become a serious business worldwide! For more information on the underlying connection between VR and paranoia treatment please visit the website www.firsteatright.com.
• Inaccurate recall of events, places and objects
• Unable to self-monitor
• Distance from reality
  
  

An individual experiencing any symptom of this syndrome is extremely distressed, anxious and has innumerable beliefs that the person trying to stalk him/her will go to any extent and cause harm. Their fears have no boundaries and this makes them act violently to people they come across.

Diagnosis
A psychologist or psychiatrist, basically any mental health professional, will look into the detailed history of the patient and conclude his/her diagnosis as Fregoli syndrome if the patient meets the signs and diagnostic criteria for this mental illness. The physician analyzes the intensity and duration of the symptoms before coming to any conclusions. During this analysis, the doctor might also be able to find out any other mental conditions such as schizophrenia.

Treatment usually includes prescribing anti-psychotics, anti-depressants and anti-convulsant. The sooner the condition is diagnosed and treated, the better it is for the individual and the rest of the people as it decreases violence rates. Fregoli syndrome remains as an underdiagnosed problem that needs further probing and research to come up with effective solutions.

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