anybody with Stendahl's Syndrome? [weeping at beauty]

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I didn't say anything about your experiences... just that there is no solid evidence that your experiences are due to this syndrome.

Lots of people can feel overwhelming emotions when viewing art or whatever. There is no reason to think you have some syndrome just because you become overwhelmed with emotion more easily than most people. You cannot even objectively determine that your reaction IS different than most people's without some kind of psychological examination. You may be more emotional than your family and friends but that still doesn't mean you are abnormal. If your experiences are abnormal and related to anything, it is probably your AS.

I have a feeling that this "syndrome" is not meant to be taken seriously. Internet sources say it originated as a way of describing the behavior of tourists who were overwhelmed by the scenery of an Italian city. In a similar manner, one might say the teenage girls who were crazy for the Beatles could be said to have had "Beatles Syndrome." Stendhal's Syndrome just happens to have gotten some traction with people because it sounds legitimate enough on the surface to attract the gullible.

I'm very sensitive when it comes to beauty and highly emotional scenes like in The Lovely Bones or What Dreams May Come. I cried in Avatar, too.

Wind in trees,

Sunlight through my sun catchers,

Certain "visions" on my fathers/sons/fiances face,

Churches,

Forests,

Sir David Attenborough documentaries.....

And a situation at Uni........I was in an auditorium of about 400 students. We were doing genetics. A large screen was at the front of the room and a large projection of the double helix of DNA spinning slowly on its axis popped onto the screen. My intake of breath was so audible that half the row turned to look at me. It took everything I had to not throw myself on the floor and sob hysterically "I am not worthy of this beauty! I am just a mere human being. The design, the majesty, the DIVINITY is too much to bear!! !! !" So, in an effort to control my outburst, I had turned red, tears pooled in my eyes and my heart rate went through the roof.

It took the change of the screen to get my heart rate back to normal. I never forgot the beauty of that day.

I love that humitlity.......it grounds me.......and it is "magical".

Mics

Wind in trees-
In one of Carlos Castaneda's books, Don Juan describes this as the wind talking through the trees. I always found that an enchanting thought.

I never heard of this syndrome, but I get very emotional quite often. Currently I am trying to get off of Paxil, and i know part of my emotional-ness (tha'ts not a word, I know) right now is because of that. But I've always been a pretty intense, sensitive type. Sometimes I've wondered if that's ok. Just the way God made me though so I don't worry about it.

I read somewhere once that in depression you don't really feel. In grief,though, you can feel intensely....when going through a deep time of grief a few years ago, I would cry over the beauty of rain on the leaves, etc. it surprised me. Though I was SO sad, the world seemed more beautiful to me. A paradox for sure.

Exactly! Wow, you put that really well.