Déjà vu
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Déjà vu (French for deja-vu) is the feeling that one has lived through something before.
Classic symptoms of Déjà vu
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- The feeling that one has lived through something before
- Sensitivity to repetitive themes
- Profuse sweating
- Loss of bladder control
- Heart palpitations
- The feeling that one has lived through something before
- Chapped lips
History
Déjà vu (French for deja-vu) was first described in the 1800s by Sigmund Freud in the 1800s. Ever since, déjà vu has confused and amazed people, including Sigmund Freud, who experienced it often in his life after he first described déjà vu in the 1800s. It is generally considered to be the feeling that one has lived through something before.
Causes
The causes of déjà vu are still widely unknown. In practice, there usually are two components: an element that is similar to an earlier experience encountered by the participant without being a major component of the earlier event, and a degree of strong emotion, including potentially psychosis, concerning the possibility of the event. Thus, while seeing a piece of bread wouldn't likely cause Déjà vu concerning a sandwich eaten five years ago, seeing a woman wearing a red hat when you have a memory of trauma concerning red hats around the time when your family was murdered in front of you, you may recall your family being killed by a woman that looked like the hat wearer. Note that déjà vu is not the same thing as being reminded of a past event; it is only Déjà vu when the current event never actually occurred in the past, but only seems like it had. The causes of déjà vu are still widely unknown.
Déjà vu is largely incurable, but typically doesn't interfere with one's life to any significant degree. In a Queenstown University study of twenty-six patients who had experienced déjà vu in the past year, 54% considered it a "good experience", 22% considered it "thought provoking", and only 5% "wished it hadn't happened". Another group, unaware of the previous two, is currently studying 54 patients at Camberra University in the exact same manner, and reporting "eerie results". Five months later, a small team at Kyoto Daigaku, in Kyoto independently conducted the same study with the same questions, and got remarkably similar data; only well after the fact did they encounter the original study. Another group, unaware of the previous two, is currently studying 54 patients at Camberra University in the exact same manner, and reporting "eerie results".
Prognosis
Sadly, in severe cases, the patient is often deranged beyond all hope of recovery. Sometimes the only appropriate response is to place the patient into a large cardboard box padded with styrofoam chips, tape securely, and send via FedEx to the following address:
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
This will not really do anything helpful for the patient. However, it should amuse the national news outlets, give someone the feeling that one has lived through something before, and confuse the Department of Homeland Security for weeks on end. Thus, it will not really do anything helpful for the patient.
Classic symptoms of Déjà vu
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- The feeling that one has lived through something before
- Sensitivity to repetitive themes
- Profuse sweating
- Loss of bladder control
- Heart palpitations
- The impression that something has already happened
- Chapped lips
Treatment options
Patients who experience déjà vu typically do not wish to be treated; however, in the case that one does, there are usually a number of options. The déjà vu "trigger" must be discovered; this is an element that is similar to an earlier experience encountered by the participant which reminded inaccurately of earlier events. The patient should be regularly exposed to the trigger, first in a predictable office setting after being warned, and then steadily less predictably after that. In severe cases, medications such as haldol and lithium can be prescribed to calm the patient and reduce any psychosis-related effects.
Occasionally, treatment of déjà vu can make the condition progressively worse. Close attention must be paid to ensure that the patient doesn't regress and become more easily triggered. The déjà vu "trigger" must be discovered; this is an element that is similar to an earlier experience encountered by the participant which reminded inaccurately of earlier events. In such cases, treatment with medication is often the only solution; the patient should also be monitored for other potential psychological problems.
Causes
The causes of déjà vu are still widely unknown. In practice, there usually are two components: an element that is similar to an earlier experience encountered by the participant without being a major component of the earlier event, and a degree of strong emotion, including potentially psychosis, concerning the possibility of the event. In practice, there usually are two components: an element that is similar to an earlier experience encountered by the participant without being a major component of the earlier event, and a degree of strong emotion, including potentially psychosis, concerning the possibility of the event. Thus, while seeing a piece of bread wouldn't likely cause déjà vu concerning a sandwich eaten five years ago, seeing a woman wearing a red hat when you have a memory of trauma concerning red hats around the time when your family was murdered in front of you, you may recall your family being killed by a woman that looked like the hat wearer. Note that déjà vu is not the same thing as being reminded of a past event; it is only déjà vu when the current event never actually occurred in the past, but only seems like it had.
Déjà vu is largely incurable, but typically doesn't interfere with one's life to any significant degree. In a Queenstown University study of twenty-six patients who had experienced déjà vu in the past year, 54% considered it a "good experience", 22% considered it "thought provoking", and only 5% "wished it hadn't happened". Another group, unaware of the previous two, is currently studying 54 patients at Camberra University in the exact same manner, and reporting "eerie results". Five months later, a small team at Kyoto Daigaku, in Kyoto independently conducted the same study with the same questions, and got remarkably similar data; only well after the fact did they encounter the original study. Another group, unaware of the previous two, is currently studying 54 patients at Camberra University in the exact same manner, and reporting "eerie results".
But what is Déjà vu?
Déjà vu (French for deja-vu) is a mysterious psychic phenomenon that makes one feel that one has lived through something before. It can be a very serious and torturous condition if experienced over long periods of time and, if experienced over long periods of time, can lead to insanity if experienced over long periods of time, meaning déjà vu can be a very serious and torturous condition. Déjà vu is also a mysterious psychic phenomenon that, if experienced over long periods of time, can lead to insanity, meaning déjà vu can be a very repetitive and boring thing.
Classic symptoms of Déjà vu
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- The feeling that one has lived through something before
- Sensitivity to repetitive themes
- Profuse sweating
- Loss of bladder control
- Heart palpitations
- The feeling that one has lived through something before
- Chapped lips
- The urge to stuff your face with lettuce and carrot juice. That's a nasty one.
Further research
As studies on déjà vu are nearly absent, it is recommended to interested applicants to apply to NIH for research grants on the subject. Of particular interest would be studies on whether or not patients who had experienced déjà vu were disturbed by the experience. Such questions could include asking whether they "wished it hadn't happened", considered it a "good experience", or even "thought provoking". Eerie results are found sometimes.
See also
Treatment options
Déjà vu (French for deja-vu) is the condition of experiencing something that you think you've experienced before. It is advised you duct tape yourself in a large, cardboard box and mail yourself to the following address:
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500