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Jerusalem syndrome refers to a transient mental disorder experienced by individuals during or after their visit to Jerusalem. This condition is characterized by the sudden onset of intense religious delusions, compulsive rituals, and an overwhelming desire to engage in religious activities.

The roots of Jerusalem syndrome are complex and can be due to a combination of environmental factors, pre-existing mental health conditions, and the profound historical and religious significance of Jerusalem may trigger a temporary break from reality. 

3 Types of Jerusalem syndrome

Jerusalem syndrome is often classified into three types. Type I of Jerusalem Syndrome involves individuals diagnosed with psychosis before visiting Jerusalem. Its first subtype includes those who identify with biblical characters, like a tourist with paranoid schizophrenia convinced he was Samson. The second subtype features individuals obsessed with an idea, like a Protestant who planned to destroy Islamic holy places. The third subtype entails 'magical ideas' connecting health and holy places, seen in historical figures like the Russian writer Gogol. The fourth subtype involves family problems culminating in psychosis, like a South African man with bipolar affective disorder.

Type II includes people with personality disorders or fixed ideas but without clear mental illness. It includes a subtype involving individuals belonging to groups with unusual ideas about Jerusalem. An example includes Christian groups settling in Jerusalem for resurrection purposes. Another subtype comprises lone individuals, like a man obsessed with finding the 'true' religion who disrupted a church in Jerusalem.

Type III, the 'pure' or 'unconfounded' form, describes individuals with no history of mental illness who experience psychosis in Jerusalem. They arrive as regular tourists and undergo seven identifiable clinical stages - anxiety, a desire to tour alone, an obsession with cleanliness, preparation of special clothing, vocal outbursts, a procession to holy places, and delivering a confused sermon.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosing Jerusalem syndrome poses a challenge due to its transient nature. However, mental health professionals use a comprehensive approach, considering the individual's history, behavior, and mental state. Treatment typically involves stabilizing the individual through antipsychotic medication and therapy and removing them from the triggering environment.