The Internet is popular on the Internet that the Japanese who visit the French capital are so often complained of the so -called Parisian syndrome that the Embassy of Japan had to open a round -the -clock line of psychological assistance for compatriots. We decided to check if this is so.
The portals about the unusual measures of the support of Japanese tourists, which they are ready to provide the country's embassy in Paris Travel And psychology, Information And Entertaining resources, Media, users of social networks (""VKontakte" Facebook*, Instagram*, X) And Platform blog. The authors of publications report that the Japanese, as a rule, come to the French capital with an extremely romanticized idea of a city compiled by books and films. When they face severe reality, they experience such a deep shock that they cannot cope with it without the help of specialists. It is this psychological state that is called Parisian syndrome.
Parisian syndrome is not found on the pages of the "International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Reaches" (ICD) or other medical reference books. Nevertheless, researchers Markthat this is not an invented disorder, but a variety of cultural shock: the traveler comes to a new place, having romantic performances about him, but reality is completely different. In this state, a person can experience increased anxiety, nausea and even hallucinations.
This syndrome can occur in tourists visiting any place, and not exclusively Paris. It is named so because for the first time he was described by a psychiatrist from Japan Hiroai Ota, who worked in France. In 2004, he, along with a group of French psychologists, published a scientific articlededicated to the phenomenon of the acute psychological reaction of the Japanese to visit Paris. Since 1988, 63 Japanese patients were hospitalized in a state of anxiety, delirium and mania (or even after suicide attempts). Moreover, some of them behaved so inadequately that they were taken to medical institutions at the request of third parties. In all cases, hospitals were associated with the Embassy of Japan, where Ota worked as a psychiatrist consultant. 18 people were repatriated by the embassy, since their condition did not allow to return home on their own, for 28 patients had to come to relatives.
Despite the romantic flalter around Paris, popularized by mass culture, in reality this city does not always meet tourists with the aroma of croissants or atmosphere of love. The capital of France has repeatedly fell into the leaders of the ratings of the most gross cities Europe or the most unfriendly cities Mira. Therefore, apparently, it is in Paris that the contrast of expectations and reality is so bright. At the same time, in his work, Ota notes that among the Japanese, the romantic image of Paris was idealized even more - for a long time Japan existed in isolation, and among local residents a trip to this city was associated with rapprochement with the Western world, also in many ways idealized.

Indeed, the media periodically appear news The fact that tourists from Japan were so shocked by the realities of the French capital that they were forced to urgently leave and/or seek psychological help. In 2006 "BBC" ReportedThat such travelers are gaining an average of 12 people annually. In the same note, the journalist noted that the Japanese Embassy in France opened a round -the -clock hot line of psychological assistance for its citizens who faced a cultural shock after arriving in Paris. Where exactly it is necessary to call and where this information was received from, it was not specified. Apparently, it was after this publication that the news dispersed on the Internet and users continue to discuss it almost two decades later.
"Verified" could not be found on the site Embassies of Japan In France, information about the alleged hot line is neither contacts nor relevant announcements. At the same time, some time ago a refutation was published there (now there is no such page, but it has been preserved Archive copy): “Despite the erroneous information published / cited in various media, the Japanese embassy in France reports that he does not have a telephone service dedicated to the so -called Parisian syndrome and will not answer any questions on this topic.” Since representatives of the embassy mention that the information is erroneous, not irrelevant, we can conclude that there has never been such a support service.
Thus, the round -the -clock line of psychological assistance to Japanese tourists, who experienced a cultural shock in Paris, does not exist under the Embassy of Japan and, apparently, never existed. At the same time, there is really such a phenomenon as the Parisian syndrome, and, judging by the media reports, the Japanese really often face it. However, a tourist of any nationality in any country can experience such a cultural shock, because it is due to the unrealistic expectations of the traveler. Paris here stands apart only because of its reputation, romanticized in mass culture.
Photo on the cover: Pixabay.com
*The Russian authorities consider Meta Platforms Inc., which owns social networks Facebook and Instagram, an extremist organization, its activities in Russia are prohibited.
Read on the topic:
- National Geographic. Real ‘Culture Shock’ IS Rare - And Can Be Serious
- Factcheck.kz. Does the Japanese embassy in Paris exist in the Japanese embassy for the Paris Syndrome?
- Is it true that in Japan the husband’s salary is transferred to the wife's account?
- Rats, bugs, tuberculosis and financial problems. Fakes of Russian propaganda about the Olympics in Paris
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