Life's Lesson

psychotherapy:

“Truman Syndrome is a form of psychological delusion in which the patient believes that he or she is trapped inside in a reality television show, or that people are monitoring his or her every move. The name for this syndrome is a reference to The Truman Show, a 1998 film which revolved around a character who was living his entire life on camera without being aware of it. To those of sound mind, Truman Syndrome might sound a bit ludicrous, but not dangerous, although this is not, in fact, the case: this condition can actually be very dangerous for the people who suffer from it.

Psychologists have suggested that Truman Syndrome is a culture-based delusion, noting that it tends to arise in developed nations where there is a high level of surveillance, and where reality television shows are easy to access. Many people living in such societies have a certain amount of nervousness about being under surveillance or watched by the government, but people with Truman Syndrome take it to a whole new level, subverting very real concerns into a complex delusion.”