Déjà Vu

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Déjà Vu is a french phrase which translates into - "already seen". It is an uncanny feeling or a sensation that one has lived through the present situation before. For instance, you're exploring a new place for the first time and all at once feel as if you've been to the exact same place before.

Because of its random and sudden nature, it is difficult to recreate it in a lab setting. Therefore, it is unclear how many have actually experienced it. Estimated 60-80% of the population has experienced déjà vu at some point in their lives. Many do so in a young age. Several first time cases are reported between 6 to 10 years of age. The most common time to experience it is during the early adulthood (15 to 25 years). After 25 years, people generally report lesser cases of déjà vu. Many people believe that this is an indication of an increasingly functional mind, as people over the age of 25 are  better at discerning what is real and no longer associate experiences with their memories. 

Déjà Vu often has no serious cause, and can occur before or after epileptic seizures with symptoms like:

- sensory disruptions or hallucinations

- a rush of unknown emotions

- repeated involuntary movement 

- twitching or loss of muscle control

Experiencing Déjà Vu is not a serious issue, but if you've experienced all these symptoms or regularly experience it (like, more than once in a month), it is recommended to see a health provider. Déjà Vu can also be one of the symptoms of Dementia. 

Researchers can't easily study déjà vu, as it happens without any warning and does not necessarily have to happen with people associated with health conditions. Though, experts have suggested various theories, and most of them relates to memory in some way.

# The theory of Split Perception suggests that déjà vu occurs when you see something at two different times. The first time you see something, it is stored even in the smallest amount in your sub conscious. Your brain can begin forming a memory of what you see even with the slightest amount of information. So, since you did not pay full attention to the experience the first time it was registered, it feels like two separate events, when actually it is just one continued perception of the same event, and thus, you experience déjà vu.

# Another theory suggests that déjà vu may also occur when your brain glitches. Some scientists say that it is sort of a short circuit in the brain which can take many forms, such as neurons pertaining to recognition and familiarity firing mistakenly, making the brain mistake the present with the past. 

# It can also happen when the neuron pertaining to short-term memory accidentally goes across circuits for long-term memory, skipping the short-term memory bank completely.

# Many people associate it with a feeling of something mysterious, spiritual and even paranormal. It is said that déjà vu is a psychic experience and is a sign of recalling experiences or memories from a past life, as it makes someone feel like they've already been in the present situation. Some believe it is an indication that an individual is on their right path in life.

It is always good to keep an open mind, but there is no such evidence to support either of these ideas. 

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