Sam Wertheimer is a Health editorial writer for Justmeans because he is excited about the opportunities for social innovation in the health sector. He currently works for the health policy group at a non-partisan think tank. His interests include health reform, health 2.0, social entrepreneurship, and his new surfboard. The views expressed in his column do not reflect those of Justmeans or any oth...
Health Lessons From London: Leave the lilies alone
A desire to touch fine art almost overwhelmed my frontal lobe yesterday. While staring at Monet's Water Lilies, Setting Sun during a visit to the National Gallery in London, I caught myself wondering how the dabs of magenta-colored water might feel under a fingertip. Thankfully rationality kicked in. Realizing that I hoped to avoid the consequences of even a light caress, I backed away from the priceless artifact. Despite escaping the gallery without incident I could not help feeling a little ashamed. I felt like a weirdo for wanting to grab a painting.
Turns out I'm not so strange after all. Others experience similarly irrational thoughts when facing beautiful artwork or large amounts of art. There's even a name for the affliction - Stendhal Syndrome. Symptoms include increased heart rate, dizziness, and confusion. Severity also varies. Some sufferers face psychotic periods, while others simply undergo the compulsion to hurl a coffee mug, or a punch. A relaxing visit to London might have taken a different tone if my case hadn't been milder than these.
So if you also struggle to restrain yourself when facing a Monet, here's some advice: Place your hands in your pockets and walk backwards. And don't worry about bumping into nearby patrons - you might just knock some sense into them too.
Photo credit: http://www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk
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