Splitting the Unity of Bodily Self: Toward a Comprehensive Review of Phenomenology and Psychopathology of Heautoscopy.
Psychopathology January 1, 2023 Joanna Szczotka, Michał Wierzchoń 4 citations
Heautoscopy is a rare experience where a person sees a double of their own body while feeling uncertain about where their self is located and sensing that the illusory body belongs to them. It occurs in diverse conditions like schizophrenia, brain tumors, migraine, epilepsy, and depression. A review of over 140 case studies found only 9 that met strict criteria for heautoscopy, distinguishing it from similar phenomena such as autoscopy and out-of-body experiences, which are often mislabeled. From the patient's perspective, heautoscopy feels like a bodily illusion rather than a false belief. The sense of being in two places at once arises from shifting self-location and expanded body ownership, not from having two viewpoints. The phenomenon offers insight into how the brain constructs bodily boundaries and spatial perspective.