In an article published on October 21, 2020, Joseph Mazur, a mathematician and science journalist, discussed a peculiar phenomenon known as tachysensia in Psychology Today. Mazur shared a story from one of his readers, a young musician, who reached out to him regarding her rare but unsettling experiences with time-rushing attacks. Referred to as tachysensia spells, these episodes last between 5 and 10 minutes. According to the musician's account, during these spells, she feels a sensation of her movements being hurried or accelerated, even when she intentionally moves at a regular pace. Additionally, she vaguely imagines distant shouting accompanying these spells. The musician noted that these episodes occur around four to five times a year when she is alone and in a quiet environment.
Engaging the Community: Crowdsourcing Insights on Tachysensia
Tachysensia presents two distinct symptoms. Firstly, when experiencing tachysensia, the young musician notices a heightened perception of her actions. For instance, while writing, she feels as though she is scribbling at a frantic pace. Simple tasks such as crossing her legs or blinking also seem to occur at more than three times their normal speed.
Secondly, during these tachysensia spells, the musician reports hearing voices. However, she acknowledges that she is aware these voices are not real. Among the auditory experiences, she often hears someone calling her name. These auditory hallucinations accompany her episodes of tachysensia.
In his initial article, Joseph Mazur mentioned a possible connection between the described episodes and a condition called Alice in Wonderland syndrome. However, upon analyzing the symptoms provided by his reader, he found it challenging to establish a definitive link between her experiences and this particular syndrome.
The Alice in Wonderland syndrome is characterized by perceptual distortions, where individuals may perceive objects or their own bodies as changing in size or shape. While there may be some similarities between the two phenomena, the symptoms described by the young musician did not align completely with those associated with the Alice in Wonderland syndrome.
As a result, the author encouraged his readers to provide feedback and share their own experiences related to tachysensia. In an effort to facilitate further discussion and exploration of this phenomenon, he initiated a dedicated group on the online platform Reddit.
Consistency between Experiences and Initial Article on Tachysensia
Since the publication of the initial article, Joseph Mazur has received a considerable amount of feedback from readers, including some rather unsettling accounts.
One woman shared her experiences, expressing the fear she felt during numerous occurrences of tachysensia in her youth. Even at the age of 40, after more than two decades without experiencing a fast feeling episode, she continues to carry the fright within her, dreading the possibility of another attack in the future.
Upon examining the claims made by his readers, Joseph Mazur identified three distinct features of tachysensia worth exploring. The first feature involves the perception that surrounding movements are accelerated, creating a sense that things are moving faster than they actually are. The second feature is an intensified experience of sound, where sounds appear much louder than their usual volume. While these occurrences can be unsettling and stressful for most individuals, they do not typically indicate a serious underlying concern.
The third feature of tachysensia involves hearing voices, but with the conscious understanding that these voices are not real. It is important to note that hearing voices alone does not necessarily indicate a psychiatric disease. We often engage in inner dialogues and serve as narrators of our own thoughts. While auditory hallucinations are common symptoms in various psychiatric disorders, the mere experience of hearing voices does not automatically signify the presence of a psychiatric condition. Further investigation is needed to better comprehend the underlying causes and potential associations between tachysensia and psychiatric disorders.
It is indeed intriguing to observe that these three symptoms align with the ones Joseph Mazur initially described in his first article. No additional elements or previously unknown aspects of tachysensia were reported.
A New Intriguing Element in the Tachysensia Puzzle
In a subsequent article, Joseph Mazur introduced an intriguing assumption based on an additional detail he uncovered. He noticed a significant number of reader messages he received were from musicians. This raised the question of whether the gift of musical talent is somehow linked to an extraordinary sense of timing.
Timing plays a vital role in the perception of music. In the case of musicians, their innate ability to accurately count and remain attentive to the marked beats, particularly in classical music, may occasionally lead to sporadic disconnections. Mazur spoke with professional musicians who shared their experiences, revealing that many of them possess a metronomic sense of measured beats while playing. However, they also acknowledged moments when this internal metronome unleashes itself, causing an undue acceleration in their perception of time.
The intention behind adding this detail to intrigue readers remains uncertain. It is important to approach this with caution and avoid making any accusations towards the author. It is possible that the individuals who reached out to the author included this detail on their own, considering the initial person who shared their experience was a musician. However, the emergence of this detail does raise some doubts regarding the credibility of the phenomenon's history. Further investigation and exploration are needed to gain a clearer understanding of the tachysensia phenomenon and address any concerns that may arise.
Unifying Tachysensia and Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
In a subsequent article, Joseph Mazur reported engaging in discussions with numerous neurologists and psychiatrists, which led him to draw some interesting conclusions. Based on these conversations, Mazur found that the symptoms of the tachysensia phenomenon share significant similarities with those of Alice in Wonderland syndrome. Furthermore, he noted that these symptoms also bear resemblance to those experienced during migraines.
The identification of these commonalities suggests potential connections and overlapping characteristics among these conditions. The correlation with Alice in Wonderland syndrome highlights perceptual distortions, while the association with migraines points towards shared sensory experiences.
The etiology of Alice in Wonderland syndrome remains challenging to ascertain due to the limited diagnosis and documentation of the condition. The causes of over half of the reported cases of Alice in Wonderland syndrome remain unknown. The syndrome can manifest as complete or partial forms within various disorders, including epilepsy, intoxication, infectious states, fevers, and brain lesions. Additionally, there is a strong association between the syndrome and migraines, as well as the use of psychoactive drugs. It has also been proposed that the Epstein-Barr virus, particularly in children, may serve as an initial symptom, whereas migraines are more commonly associated with adults experiencing the syndrome.
The identification of commonalities between the symptoms of tachysensia and Alice in Wonderland syndrome, as well as their association with migraines and other related conditions, has facilitated the establishment of a connection between these phenomena. This recognition has contributed to the validation and acceptance of the term "tachysensia" to describe this particular experience.
Tachysensia and the Phenomenon Effect
After a span of two and a half years, on June 2, 2023, Joseph Mazur released another article addressing the tachysensia phenomenon. Throughout this period, the definitive name for this phenomenon had not emerged distinctly. Perhaps now is the opportune moment to once again bring attention to this subject and advocate for a clearer and more recognized designation.
In the present article, an interesting observation was made regarding the accounts shared by individuals who have experienced tachysensia. It was noted that many of these individuals began to mention the presence of headaches in their descriptions. This connection is not surprising, considering that the previous article specifically discussed the association between tachysensia and migraines.
The phenomenon of tachysensia follows a pattern that is not uncommon in popular culture. It is reminiscent of other mysterious and enigmatic phenomena that have captured public attention, such as UFO sightings, reports of the Yeti, and accounts of encounters with Men in Black. These topics tend to gain widespread recognition and discussion once the media starts covering them. Similarly, tachysensia has experienced a similar trend, with mentions and discussions about it proliferating as more attention is drawn to the subject.
It is important to reiterate that there is no intention to assign blame to the author or the readers engaged in discussions about the tachysensia phenomenon. However, as scientists, it is our responsibility to critically examine the factors and circumstances surrounding the emergence and progression of any phenomenon. Questioning and scrutinizing are fundamental aspects of scientific inquiry, as they allow us to gain a deeper understanding and uncover potential complexities or nuances related to the phenomenon in question. Therefore, it is our duty to raise pertinent questions and explore all possible angles in order to advance our knowledge and contribute to the scientific discourse.