Charles Bonnet Syndrome

[pastafreak]

I'd never heard of this condition until I'd read this. I hope to watch the program about this young woman soon...she sounds amazing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-43306441

[Mamyalynne]

I have it, read her story a few days ago - she has struggled and so young too.

[piggynose]

Its touching, thankfully she has a caring partner

[gordiescotland1]

My mum suffers from this she sees Cheshire cats she has macular degeneration in both eyes.

[tonyav]

My late aunt suffered with Charles Bonnet syndrome ( also had macular degeneration to ), she saw all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

[pastafreak]

I said in my post that I'd never heard of this. I take that back as I believe it was discussed in a book by Oliver Sacks that I read several years ago. He wrote about all sorts of strange conditions...fascinating stuff. Are the hallucinations much easier to cope with when the patient learns the cause?

[tonyav]

Are the hallucinations much easier to cope with when the patient learns the cause?


Seemed to be regarding my aunt, pasta. Even she laughed about some of the things ( hallucinations ) that she saw.

[pastafreak]

That's probably very fortunate Tony. It could be quite frightening otherwise.
This is the book...

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[Mamyalynne]

It made better sense to me when I found out what the cause was and gave it a name, mine is worse when I am tired and also as I fall asleep.

[tonyav]

Until she was diagnosed and understood what was happening she found it scary, pasta.

[gordiescotland1]

It is often thought that Johnathon Swift, the author of Gullivers Travels had it and that is how he was inspired by the little people

[Peter Pedant]

yeah Pasta
Oliver sacks wrote about it - a really fluent writer - I got thro the book in two or three days - in his auto biog.

when you get a partial image the brain makes up the rest as a best guess based on memories of things seen

I have to say I dont find any of this upsetting - the first time I saw a rat scurrying around the house -( I didnt of course) the dog took no notice at all and then it clicked ....[ no rat]

anyway I am glad the young lady has conquered her demons.

[tonyav]

mine is worse when I am tired and also as I fall asleep.

That was how it was ( in the beginning ) with my aunt, Mamya.

[pastafreak]

Is it always there, mamya? Is it possible to have periods with no visual disturbances?

[Mamyalynne]

Not always noticeable to me at the moment.

[pastafreak]

You also Peter?
This little thread is showing how much more "common" this is than I'd have thought.
I think I may give Sacks book another go...I found it fascinating, but also rather unsettling the first time...and didn't finish.