November 24, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) -- Maybe it's fallout from all those reality shows, or a new kind of video-age paranoia.

Researchers are reporting what they call the "Truman syndrome" -- a delusion among some people that their lives are secretly playing out on a reality TV show.

The name comes from the 1998 movie "The Truman Show," in which a man discovers his world is actually a stage set, with him the involuntary star.

The syndrome first surfaced in psychiatric circles in 2006. Scientists say it underscores the influence pop culture can have on mental conditions.

Researchers say a few patients take pride in their imagined celebrity, but many are deeply upset at what feels like an Orwellian invasion of privacy. One psychiatrist says reality television may help such patients convince themselves their experiences are plausible.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)