Jerusalem syndrome

Background Jerusalem's psychiatrists expect to encounter. as the millennium approaches. an ever-increasing number of tourists who, upon arriving in Je rusalem, may suffer psychotic decompensation. Aims To describe the Jerusalem syndrome as a unique acute psychotic state. Method This analysis is based on accumulated clinical experience and phenom enological data consisting of cultural and religious perspectives. Results Three main categories of the syndrome are identified and described. with special focus on the category pertaining to spontaneous manifestation s. unconfounded by previous psychotic history or psychopathology. Conclusions The discrete form of the Jerusalem syndrome is related to relig ious excitement induced by proximity to the holy places of Jerusalem, and i s indicated by seven characteristic sequential stages. Declaration of interest None.