Self-induced depersonalization syndrome.
R B Kennedy
American Journal of Psychiatry November 1976 DOI: 10.1176/ajp.133.11.1326 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Individuals who had engaged in meditative techniques designed to alter consciousness |
| Topics | Ego dissolution |
| Key findings | Depersonalization occurred during waking consciousness in two individuals who practiced consciousness-altering meditation. The author argues that psychiatrists should ask depersonalization patients about involvement in activities leading to altered states of consciousness, may in some cases appropriately refer them to responsible meditation groups, and cautions against phenothiazines when depersonalization is prominent. |
Abstract
The author reports two cases in which depersonalization occurred during the waking consciousness of individuals who had engaged in meditative techniques designed to alter consciousness. Psychiatrists should be aware of this phenomenon, as the number organizations in the "consciousness movement" is increasing, and should ask people manifesting depersonalization about any involvement in activities leading to altered states of consciousness. In some cases it might be appropriate to refer such patients to responsible groups that teach altered consciousness by meditation as an egosyntonic desirable state. The author cautions against the use of phenothiazines in cases where depersonalization is a prominent feature.
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Issues and Perspectives in Meditation Research: In Search for a Definition Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- The out-of-body experience: a phenomenological typology based on questionnaire responses American Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 1982
- Shamanism and Altered States of Consciousness Anthropology of Consciousness June 1, 1994
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