You may have heard about Jerusalem Syndrome, the condition that overtakes a surprising number of visitors to Jerusalem, who are overcome by religious mania to the extent that they go a little mad, and have to be cared for. It affects Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. Having been to Jerusalem, I can see how that might work.  It radiates spiritual energy like nowhere else I’ve been. If you are a Jew, Christian, or Muslim, and you’ve never been, you’ve got to make plans to go. I would go back tomorrow if I had the money.

Turns out that there’s a related condition called Paris Syndrome, and it hits some Japanese tourists hard. It amounts to a kind of psychological breakdown when they arrive in Paris and find that it’s not like the movie Amelie, or a tableau vivant of Doisneau postcards. How to prepare yourself for the real Paris, versus the Paris of your dreams? Writer Chelsea Fagan, a student living in Paris, has these suggestions:

 If repeated viewings of La Haine and Taken are not appealing, and extensive reading on the 2005 suburb riots would require too much time on Wikipedia, they could always just remind themselves of the realities of the city they’re so excited to visit. They could remember that obesity is a growing problem in France, that McDonald’s, KFC, and Subway are popping up like acne all over the city, and that pickpocketing and mugging are some of the most common crimes in the area. They can remember that, despite how beautiful the sun is setting behind the Eiffel Tower, at the base of the structure, there are sure to be hundreds of pushy men screaming at you to buy their 1-Euro trinkets. They can remember that it is not a tipping culture here, servers are getting paid the same amount either way, so their attitude towards you will depend solely on how nice you are willing to be to them. The customer is not always right — he simply exists. That is as far as the Parisian waiter is willing to take it.

With these things in mind to balance out a shoebox full of Doisneau’s most charming photos, one can expect a Paris that meets the reasonable portrait in one’s imagination. The city will be dirty, crowded, loud, and indifferent — but it will be beautiful and breathtaking. And as long as one does not expect the furniture to spring to life and help you get ready for your dance with the Beast, a trip to this city will be fulfilling, exciting, and, most importantly, free of debilitating hallucinations.