Why Did I Become Agitated While Visiting Jerusalem?

Did you feel the urge to leave the group and go about Jerusalem by yourself?

Did you feel anxious?

Do you have an obsession with cleansing (baths, showers, grooming)?

Do you sing or shout verses from the Bible or religious songs?

Do you dress a white gown made of a bedsheet?

Did you ever march to a holy place?

Did you deliver a sermon in said holy place, urging people to a better life?

Jerusalem is an important place for many (religious) people. People who visit Jerusalem sometimes get disappointed (‘is this what I came here to see’?), while others get overwhelmed. Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have experienced a condition called ‘Jerusalem syndrome’. This syndrome happens when people become agitated and tense during their visit. They may leave the tour group and go off alone. They are worried and disoriented and may think, for example: ‘What if I’m the Messiah’? However, they know who they are, they don’t hallucinate. According to experts it’s not a psychosis, but rather a reaction that comes from one’s deepest self.

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have experienced a condition called ‘Jerusalem syndrome’, but you may be displaying a sign related to it. Someone with Jerusalem syndrome may get agitated and disoriented when visiting the place. They are likely to leave the guided group and go off by themselves. They may ask themselves, for example, if they are the Messiah, or in case of a female, if they are pregnant with the Messiah. Experts believe that it’s not a hallucination, but rather a reaction to the place that comes from one’s deepest self. Most of the people who suffered from the syndrome already had a mental illness (e.g., psychotic- or personality disorder).

Based on your answers, you may have been displaying various signs of Jerusalem syndrome. Someone with Jerusalem syndrome may get agitated when visiting the place. They may want to leave the guided group and go off alone. They may ask themselves, for example, if they are the Messiah. It's believed to be a reaction that comes from one’s deepest self. Many people with Jerusalem syndrome have a history of mental illness. They may fix their ideas on a certain subject, for example, conspiracy theories or in this case Jerusalem and a return to purity. The best way to help is to get patients out of the city. They return normal once they’re home. Treatment is rarely necessary, sometimes doctors prescribe medication.