When TikToker Bryer (@whotheheckisbryer) was younger, she experienced a rare neurological condition called Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS).
She is now 20 years old and had never met anyone else who had experienced this until recently, after sharing her story on TikTok. The condition was temporary, and she only had it during her younger years.
“I think it mostly happens to people when they’re younger, but it affects how you perceive the world around you or yourself,” explained Bryer. “For example, I would perceive my hands super smaller than they actually were.”
She mainly experienced episodes when she was trying to fall asleep or if she woke up in the middle of the night. She would be lying in bed with her eyes closed and feel her hands shrinking and growing.
One of her most vivid memories was a time when she was sitting up in bed, and it looked like there were clouds or huge cotton balls all over her room.
Sometimes, she felt either like a giant or that she was floating in the air. Her sense of time, speed, distance, and perception felt off, making moments feel endless or unnaturally fast.
“It’s not necessarily a hallucination; it’s more just your brain glitching and not perceiving things the way it should be,” Bryer added.
Overall, Alice in Wonderland syndrome makes your body, objects, and time seem smaller, larger, closer, farther, faster, or slower. Symptoms usually last for a few minutes to half an hour.
It most commonly affects children. The condition has also been linked to migraines, viral infections, epilepsy, and changes in brain activity.
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In the comments section, a shockingly large number of people chimed in with similar experiences that they never knew how to explain until Bryer came along. What once felt isolating or frightening suddenly became understandable.
“I used to look at a dark closet and watch the darkness take over my whole vision, and I’d snap out of it. Or I’d look at a fan and watch it morph. It was so weird,” commented one user.
“You just unlocked a memory. When I was young and trying to fall asleep, it would feel like my feet were really far away. Weirdest feeling. I’d have to open my eyes to regulate myself,” shared another.
“Omg, that’s what this is. I’ve been experiencing this off and on since childhood. It is the worst and weirdest feeling. For some reason, mine is like an expanding and shrinking feeling, too, but also feeling like a ball of tinfoil with toothpicks pierced in it. I have no idea,” added a third.
While Alice in Wonderland syndrome is often harmless, Bryer’s story shows how important it is to share unusual experiences and let people know they’re not alone.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
