4. Spatial Disorientation: Navigating a Distorted World
When we move through the world, there’s an innate understanding of space. Directions, distances, and dimensions come naturally.
However, spatial disorientation rips this understanding away. It’s like being adrift on a sea without a compass, where up might seem down, and near could feel like far.
Imagine standing in your living room. To most, the furniture placement, the distance to the television, and the height of the bookshelf are clear.
But someone with spatial disorientation could feel overwhelmed, hesitant, even fearful. They might reach out and find objects too close or too far from where they perceived them to be. It’s a room they’ve known for years, but now, it’s like navigating a shifting labyrinth.
Our brain’s posterior parietal cortex is the maestro orchestrating our spatial understanding. But when it’s injured or compromised—due to strokes, traumas, or degenerative diseases—our sense of space falters. The world starts to twist and turn in unexpected ways, leading to spatial disorientation.
The fear of the unfamiliar, even in known environments, looms large. But with rehabilitative therapies and spatial training, many can relearn to decipher the world around them. (4)
