Three cases of spirit possession were studied to determine common underlying psychodynamic factors. The spirits were believed to represent culture bound defense mechanisms, and attempts at problem solving in individuals suffering from unresolved conflicts. These being anomic anxiety, dependency, sexual identity and aggression. The symptoms, therefore, were considered to be attempts at conflict...
In a matched controlled study 37 chronic schizophrenics who had taken LSD preceding the onset of their illness were compared with schizophrenics who had not. There were no significant differences between the groups either on age at onset of symptoms or for age at first admission.
This article reviews the major hallucinogenic fungi both for their historical as well as neurochemical import. Despite voluminous literature on them, relatively little study has focused on psilocybin related substances that could relate to forms of psychotic illness. Some metabolic pathways are reviewed which illustrate the need for more study of indole compounds such as baeocystin.
This paper reviews the phenomenology of the mystical experience and its varied contexts epilepsy, toxicity, organic brain syndromes, the major psychoses and hysterical dissociative states as well as in apparently normal persons. The impact of the experience on the personality is noted and its significance briefly reviewed. The author notes that two fallacies await the unwary psychiatrist: the...