Sounds fake, but it’s real

These 10 strange conditions have baffled doctors throughout history!

Image: Ani Kolleshi

Not all medical conditions sound as serious as they are, but others… Others have names that seem straight out of science fiction tales. However, rest assured, they are all very real. From conditions that turn you into Sleeping Beauty to disorders that leave you feeling like an alien in your own skin, we’ve gathered 10 medical conditions whose names will leave you scratching your head. Keep reading and find out about these illnesses with weird names!

Image: Rodrigo Pereira

Who hasn’t wished they could sleep 20 hours a day? That’s simply a dream come true! But people with Klein-Levin syndrome don’t really think that. The condition is commonly known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome.

Those affected by this condition experience episodes where they sleep excessively for hours, and even days! When awake, they can be confused, disoriented, and exhibit unusual behaviors like binge eating.

The condition can last for years, though episodes tend to become less frequent over time. It’s unclear what causes the syndrome, and there’s no specific treatment. The name sounds enchanting, but for those living with it, Sleeping Beauty Syndrome is more of a nightmare!

Image: Timo Wagner

This one sounds like something out of a sci-fi horror movie, but it’s a very real condition that affects the brain and spinal cord of cows. It is officially called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and the symptoms are aggression or erratic behavior in infected cattle. That is why it’s called "mad".

Now, this list is about human conditions. But here’s the trick: The disease can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated beef, causing a fatal brain disorder known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

While strict food safety regulations have significantly reduced the risk, the nickname "Mad Cow Disease" sticks because of the startling symptoms it causes. Don’t worry! Despite the scary name, it’s extremely rare to contract in humans today.

Image: Geetanjal Khanna

Imagine your hand moves, but you didn’t send that signal to your brain. Imagine your hand doing things you never intended, creepy right? That’s what happens when you have alien hand syndrome.

People with this rare neurological disorder experience involuntary hand movements that seem purposeful, such as picking up objects or even trying to interfere with tasks the person is consciously performing. It’s called "alien" because the hand feels like it has a mind of its own, separate from the person’s control.

It is usually caused by brain injury or surgery, and it can be quite distressing and disorienting. As you can imagine, there’s no cure, but some types of therapy help reduce the movements.

Image: Tachina Lee

You’re walking on the street and you see someone. You think "I know them! I don’t know where from, but I know them!" Well, that’s not the case for everyone. Prosopagnosia, or more commonly known as facial blindness, is a condition that affects a person’s ability to recognize faces. No, not just random faces: It could be your best friend’s face, for example.

The name comes from the Greek words prósopo for "face" and agnōsia which means "ignorance."

While many of us might be forgetful with names, those with prosopagnosia may not even recognize familiar faces, including their own reflection! This condition can be present from birth or result from brain injury. Although there’s no cure, many people find ways to manage it, such as focusing on other details like voice or clothing. Weird how the brain works, huh!

Image: Alexandre Debiève

No, no human has ever turned into a real werewolf when the full moon comes. But this condition is called that due to some human’s resemblance to the fictional creature.

Hypertrichosis, better known as werewolf syndrome, causes excessive hair growth all over the body. The condition gets its mythical nickname because people with it can develop thick hair on their faces, resembling the werewolves of folklore.

It is an extremely rare condition, and it takes different forms. For some, this overgrowth only happens in small patches of skin whereas others’ conditions affect large areas. No cure has been found to this date, but it’s quite manageable and it’s not dangerous at all!

Image: Paolo Nicolello

Alice in Wonderland syndrome sounds whimsical, but it’s a condition that distorts how a person perceives their body or surroundings.

Naturally, it was named after Lewis Carroll’s famous character, and those with this syndrome may feel as if their body parts are much larger or smaller than they actually are, similar to how Alice’s size changes once she goes down the rabbit hole!

These perceptions can be disorienting, making the world seem like it’s out of proportion or shifting in strange ways. The condition is often associated with migraines or epilepsy. While it’s not dangerous, the sensations can be unsettling and, contrary to others that we’ve mentioned, not very easy to deal with every day.

Image: Ortopediatri Çocuk Ortopedi Akademisi

The official name for the stone man disease is Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), which is a rare genetic condition where soft tissues like muscles and tendons gradually turn into bone. As the body forms more bone, it restricts movement, effectively "freezing" a person in place. Inconvenient, to say the least, don’t you think?

The condition progresses over time, and as more joints are affected, simple actions like eating or breathing can become difficult. There’s no cure for this disease, and any trauma to the body, like a fall or surgery, can worsen the condition.

As you can imagine, the name comes from the fact that those affected may eventually feel like their body has turned to stone. It’s a tough, life-altering condition, despite it sounds like a Spiderman’s enemy!

Image: Jeremy Bishop

We get it, some conditions are really serious. Now, who is in charge of naming them? This condition, officially known as Cotard’s Delusion, goes by the name walking corpse syndrome but it’s not because one exactly looks like a zombie.

The neuropsychological disorder makes people believe they are dead, missing organs, or don’t exist. It was first described in the 1880s, it causes those who have it to feel detached from reality, often convinced they have no functioning body parts or that they’re a "walking corpse."

It sounds terrifying, not only for the person experiencing it but for those around them.

What’s the origin? It is linked to severe depression or brain trauma. Though the name sounds straight out of a horror movie, Cotard’s Delusion is a serious and distressing mental health condition.

Image: Vasilis Caravitis

This one also belongs to the field of mental health conditions and it is the most common for most young adults today. Ever feel like you’re not good enough, even when all the evidence says otherwise? That’s imposter syndrome, a psychological phenomenon where people doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as frauds for no reason whatsoever!

Though it is not a formal medical diagnosis, the term was coined by psychologists in 1978 and has gained recognition for describing a feeling many high achievers experience. Despite outward success, those with imposter syndrome struggle with feelings of inadequacy. Can you relate to this one?

Image: note thanun

To finish this article on a higher note, let’s talk about foreign accent syndrome. Can you imagine what is it? No, it’s not the ability to adapt to different accents.

Imagine going to bed and waking up with a completely different accent than the one you always had! That’s what the syndrome is.

It usually occurs after a stroke or brain injury and results in someone suddenly speaking with an accent they’ve never had before. While the person’s native language remains the same, their speech patterns may shift, making it sound as if they’re from a different area or a different country altogether.

No matter how much of a language lover you are, imagine the chaos of having to communicate in a new language out of the blue!

Against all odds

Indomitable will: 10 crazy survival stories that will blow your mind

Image: alexey turenkov

Every so often, we wonder how we’d respond if faced with the direst of circumstances—fighting tooth and nail through unimaginable dangers to survive. But beyond our wildest dreams, some individuals have demonstrated that the will to live can overcome even the most insurmountable odds. From a plane crash in the Andes mountains to being swept up by a tornado, these 10 stories of endurance, courage, and unbelievable luck shed light on the inherent grit of the human spirit.

Image: redcharlie

In 1972, a Uruguayan rugby team's plane crashed in the Andes mountains after the pilot made a critical navigation error. Of the 45 passengers aboard, 29 survived the initial impact. Stranded at nearly 11,500 feet without any means of communication, they endured brutal conditions for over two months. With starvation setting in, they made the harrowing decision to eat the frozen remains of their deceased companions.

When it became clear that no rescue was imminent, two of the survivors embarked on a desperate trek through the treacherous mountains. With no training or proper gear, they braved incredibly difficult terrain for ten days before encountering a local shepherd who alerted authorities. By the time the ordeal ended, only 16 survivors remained. Their incredible story quickly captured international attention and remains a powerful testament to human perseverance and the will to survive against all odds.

Image: Patrick Hendry

In 1993, during a solo trip through Morocco, French electrician Emile Leray found himself stranded deep in the Sahara desert after his Citroën 2CV broke down from hitting a rock. With only enough food and water for ten days and no help in sight, Leray ingeniously dismantled his car and repurposed the parts to construct a makeshift motorcycle.

To shield himself from the relentless sun and frequent sandstorms, Leray used the car’s body as a shelter. After twelve days, with only half a liter of water remaining, he successfully escaped and rode towards the nearest village. Though his remarkable feat received little media coverage at the time, Leray earned the nickname "the extreme mechanic" for his extraordinary ingenuity and survival skills.

Image: Museums Victoria

Ada Blackjack was a Iñupiat woman who joined an ill-fated expedition to Wrangel Island in 1921 as a cook and seamstress. The expedition aimed to settle the island and claim it for the Canadian government (though at the time the territory technically belonged to Russia), and was organized with the backing of Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a renowned Arctic explorer. Blackjack was meant to join other four young explorers on the dangerous journey.

However, the expedition was severely underprepared for the harsh Arctic conditions. As rations dwindled and the team failed to hunt enough game to sustain themselves, the situation grew dire. One of the young men succumbed to scurvy, while the other three got lost in a desperate attempt to seek help, leaving Ada completely alone in the Arctic—with only the expedition's cat for company. She survived for eight months in the extreme cold, teaching herself to hunt foxes and sew parkas from reindeer skins. She was finally rescued on August 19, 1923, and was hailed as a real-life female Robinson Crusoe for her remarkable survival skills.

Image: Sam Williams

In 1981, Steven Callahan set sail from Cornwall aboard his self-built sailboat, Napoleon Solo, bound for Antigua as part of a solo sailing race. However, disaster struck during a night storm when his boat collided with an unknown hard object, causing it to take on water rapidly. With little time to think, Callahan desperately inflated his life raft and had to dive several times into the sinking vessel to retrieve essential survival gear.

Drifting westward with the trade winds for 76 harrowing days, Callahan faced all sorts of challenges aboard his raft, including shark encounters, raft punctures, and the mental strain of isolation. He mastered the use of solar stills to distill seawater and relied on fish, barnacles, and seabirds for sustenance. Despite activating his emergency beacon and signaling passing ships with a flare gun, his presence went unnoticed. Finally, near the island of Marie Galante, fishermen spotted him, drawn by the birds hovering above the raft, attracted by the small ecosystem that had developed around it. After his rescue, Callahan dedicated himself to designing improved life rafts, drawing from his extraordinary experience at sea.

Image: Kristina Delp

On Christmas Eve 1971, just a day after her graduation, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke boarded LANSA Flight 508 with her mother, heading to the biological research station in the Amazon rainforest where both her parents worked. During the flight, the airplane was struck by lightning, causing it to fall apart mid-air.

Still strapped to her seat, she plummeted 10,000 feet into the dense jungle and survived the fall with only minor injuries. Alone in the rainforest, she endured 11 days of hardship, following a river's course until she stumbled upon a lumberjack camp. There, she was rescued and eventually airlifted to safety. Despite the tragedy, Koepcke returned to the Panguana research station and continued her work, later becoming a renowned zoologist.

Image: Vlad Tchompalov

In 2013, Harrison Okene, a Nigerian cook, was working aboard the Jascon-4, a tugboat assisting an oil tanker 20 miles off the coast of Nigeria when it suddenly capsized due to rough seas. The vessel quickly filled with water and sank to the seafloor, about 100 feet below the surface. Okene, who was in the bathroom at the time, miraculously found himself trapped in a small air pocket within the sunken ship, surrounded by darkness and freezing water.

For nearly three days, Okene survived in the pitch-black cabin, enduring the cold and the terrifying uncertainty of whether rescue would come. With no food and only a can of Coca-Cola to sustain him, he clung to hope. On the third day, divers surveying the wreck for recovery operations were shocked to hear his hammering against the hull. They discovered Okene alive, and he was safely rescued after being placed in a decompression chamber. Despite his harrowing experience, Okene later became a professional diver, working on underwater installations and repairs for oil and gas facilities—a remarkable twist for someone who had once been so close to death beneath the sea.

Image: Bao Menglong

Serbian flight attendant Vesna Vulović holds the world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute. In 1972, after her plane exploded mid-air, she fell over 33,000 feet to the ground. Miraculously, her fall was cushioned by a snowy mountainside. She was later discovered alive alongside the wreckage by a local villager who tended her until rescuers arrived.

Despite sustaining severe injuries, including a fractured skull and broken legs, Vulović survived the ordeal but had total amnesia of the incident for a month afterward. Remarkably, she recovered almost fully, though she lived with a limp for the rest of her life. Vulović later attributed her astonishing survival and recovery to her "Serbian stubbornness" and a childhood diet rich in "chocolate, spinach, and fish oil."

Image: Oliver Sjöström

In 1965, six Tongan schoolboys were shipwrecked on a deserted island in the South Pacific for 15 months. The boys, all pupils at a strict Catholic boarding school, were bored out of their minds, and one day decided they had had enough. A plan to escape to Fiji, or perhaps even to New Zealand, formed in their minds. They stole a fisherman’s boat, and finally set out to sea, only to be caught in a storm.

Being inexperienced sailors, they quickly became adrift when the sails were shredded and the rudder broke. After eight days with no food and water, they spotted a small island on the horizon, where they promptly set camp. Unlike the fictional Lord of the Flies, however, these boys cooperated to survive. They set up a communal system, created a garden, and built shelter until they were rescued by a passing fisherman.

Image: Gower Brown

Charles Joughin, the chief baker aboard the Titanic, survived the 1912 disaster by staying remarkably calm—and by getting drunk. Yes, you read that right. With a lifetime of experience at sea, Joughin was assigned a spot on one of the lifeboats but refused to board, giving his place to other crew members.

After all the lifeboats had been lowered, Joughin returned to his quarters and had a few whiskeys. As the ship continued to sink, he threw around 50 deck chairs overboard to serve as flotation devices. Unfazed, he walked to the ship's highest point and waited for it to submerge, making him the last survivor to leave the Titanic. Incredibly, he spent several hours in the freezing Atlantic before being rescued. It's speculated that the alcohol helped him stave off the effects of cold and fear, enabling his incredible survival.

Image: Greg Johnson

Matt Suter was 19 years old when a tornado in Missouri picked him up and carried him 1,307 feet before dropping him in a field. Amazingly, he survived with only minor injuries. Suter recalls hearing a deafening roar as the tornado approached the mobile home where he was staying with his grandmother. Suddenly, the tornado struck with full force, collapsing the walls and blowing open the doors and windows.

Just before being sucked outside, a lamp struck him on the head, knocking him unconscious. When he came to, he found himself lying in a field, wearing only his underwear, badly scratched and bruised but otherwise unharmed. Suter’s survival is considered miraculous by tornado researchers, and he currently holds the record for the longest distance traveled by a person in a tornado.