#AliceInWonderlandSyndrome: Medical Eponyms and TikTok as a popularization environment

This paper explores the intersections between the TikTok platform and the concept of metaxis, as they pertain to the popularization and personal narratives surrounding Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (#AliceInWonderlandSyndrome). TikTok’s metaxical nature, fostering an interplay between real and virtual identities, mirrors the metamorphic experience of Alice and the medical condition named after her. The hashtag #AliceInWonderlandSyndrome has emerged as a digital space where users share their experiences of the syndrome, characterized by perceptual distortions such as macropsia, micropsia, and somatopsychic duality, effectively building a collective understanding of this once-obscure neurological condition. The paper examines the cultural and scientific impact of medical eponyms, highlighting how the syndrome’s literary roots make it a compelling case study in the context of medical linguistics. By tracing its historical origins to John Todd’s 1955 classification and exploring its connections to Lewis Carroll’s "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland," the study underscores the literary and metaphorical resonance of such eponyms in public and scientific discourse. Drawing from TikTok case studies, the narrative demonstrates how the platform facilitates the dissemination of scientific knowledge, blending personal storytelling with public education. The analysis delves into Victorian influences on Lewis Carroll’s work, linking the novel’s surreal elements to the symptoms of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. It further discusses the broader cultural implications of blending literature and medicine, as exemplified in Carroll’s exploration of identity, perception, and transformation. Ultimately, the paper positions TikTok as a metamodern space for the democratization of medical narratives, resonating with both literary scholarship and contemporary digital culture.