Mirrors Cause Hallucinations
Mirrors Cause Hallucinations
A strange illusion is conjured up when you stare at your reflection in a mirror. It’s an old Halloween trick that modern science is starting to investigate. Try it for yourself. Sit in a darkened room, about a meter (3 ft) away from a mirror, and gaze at the reflection of your face for about 10 minutes. Keep the lighting as dark as you can, while still being able to see your reflection.
At first, you will find that there are small distortions in your face in the mirror. Then, gradually, after several minutes, your face will begin to change more dramatically, and look more like a waxwork, like the face doesn’t belong to you. Some people see a series of other faces, or even fantastical monsters or beings staring back, and others see animal faces. It is a dissociative state that scientists are studying, in order to try and understand our sense of self and identity. Psychologists believe it could even help patients with schizophrenia, when they are encouraged to confront their “other selves.”
