Demon Face Syndrome: A Rare Neurological Disorder

Most reports of demon face syndrome describe exaggerated, grotesque features: skin that looks like tree bark or potato skin, eyes that morph into geometric shapes, or entire faces that seem plastic-y in texture. Some folks even report talking apple trees and faces with pointy ears.

Sound like something out of a Lewis Carroll hallucination? There actually is something called Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS), which makes your brain warp how you see the world. Things might look way too big, or way too small or like you're moving in slow motion.

Demon face syndrome, on the other hand, specifically effects the way you see faces. Both AIWS and PMO are rare neurological conditions.

Understanding demon face syndrome means diving into the world of psychological and brain sciences.

This disorder is typically linked to neurological damage — such as lesions from trauma, stroke, epilepsy or migraines — in the brain’s visual processing regions. It is not known to be directly caused by anxiety or psychosis alone.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used to look for physical signs like brain damage or neurological disorders.

It's sometimes compared to Charles Bonnet Syndrome, in which people with vision loss experience complex visual hallucinations. But unlike that condition, demon face syndrome focuses exclusively on facial distortions.

That means the rest of your world might look normal, while people's faces go full horror movie mode.

Do Drugs Cause Demon Face Syndrome?

Hallucinogenic drugs have occasionally triggered face distortion experiences, but persistent prosopometamorphopsia is more strongly associated with neurological damage.

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can also involve visual hallucinations, but those are considered psychiatric in origin and distinct from PMO.

And yes, sometimes these symptoms might just be your brain going haywire under stress or sleep deprivation.

The main symptom is visual hallucinations — specifically, distorted perceptions of people's faces. These can include:

These hallucinations can trigger social withdrawal, especially if a person fears their family members or avoids looking in mirrors. The undue distress can compound existing mental health conditions and interfere with daily life.

Yes, though treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause.

There is no standardized treatment for prosopometamorphopsia. Management depends on identifying and addressing the underlying neurological cause, and therapy may be offered to support emotional coping rather than resolve the visual distortions directly.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people develop coping strategies and alleviate symptoms. Behavioral health specialists might also address coexisting mental health disorders like depression, anxiety or other psychiatric conditions.

In cases involving neurological issues, treatment may include medications that stabilize brain activity. Taking a deep breath won't cure it, but it can help manage stress that might amplify visual distortions.

Addressing both mental health symptoms and neurological signs offers the best chance of improvement.

Living with this disorder can be challenging, especially when it disrupts social interactions. Imagine trying to hold a conversation while someone’s face is morphing into a demonic tree. People often describe feelings of fear, isolation or frustration at their brain's betrayal.

Support from family members and mental health professionals is essential. Awareness campaigns and behavioral health outreach can make a big difference in reducing stigma and encouraging those affected to seek help.

And let’s not forget the importance of brain sciences in all this. Continued research at institutions like Dartmouth College is helping decode rare conditions like this one.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.