Capgras Syndrome

Capgras Syndrome is named for its discoverer, the French psychiatrist Jean Marie Joseph Capgras. People who suffer from it have the ilusion of watching impostors rather than relatives or friends, when they are really these last ones. The patient may also see himself as his own double.

Delusions are false beliefs, sometimes with bizarre content, that are held with strong conviction even in the presence of contrary evidence. For people suffering from Capgras Syndrome they typically believe they exist in a world of impersonators. This feeling in a delusional world of doubles can be so alarming that it drives the Capgras sufferer to psychotic behaviour.