This study investigated the extent and types of altered beliefs, attitudes, and values of 53 subjects who reported having had a neardeath experience (NDE). A control group was composed of 27 individuals who reported having had similar life-threatening incidents but without a corresponding NDE. In addition, 45 significant others in the lives of the participants in these groups rated the extent...
Risperidone, a novel antipsychotic agent, is an antagonist of postsynaptic serotonin-2 and dopamine D2 receptors. In certain individuals, the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is associated with apparently lifelong continuous visual disturbances, characterized in DSM-IV as hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD). Because the hallucinogenic mechanism of LSD is known...
We have described three patients in whom persistent palinopsia developed following ingestion of LSD. Clinicians should inquire about past LSD use in all patients who initially have seemingly spontaneous, isolated palinopsia. Recognition of this distinctive clinical syndrome associated with LSD use might avoid unnecessary anxiety and excessive diagnostic tests for patients with this disorder.
This study investigated the impact that meditation has on Fordyce's (1977, 1983) Personal Happiness Enhancement Program (PHEP). Experimental subjects were divided into two groups, both of which received instruction on the PHEP. Subjects in one experimental group were taught a meditation exercise in addition to the PHEP. A control group received no instruction. The Happiness Measure, Psychap...
The effects of opening-up meditation on college adjustment and self-actualization were examined with 45 subjects who were divided into groups for opening-up meditation, relaxation, and control using scores on the Anxiety Scale of the College Adjustment Scales. Subjects also completed the Personal Orientation Inventory. 1 hr. of training for the meditation and relaxation groups was given and 20...
Abstract Near-death experiences (NDEs), profound mystical or transcendental experiences occurring on the threshold of death, have been reported to reduce fear of death and death anxiety. This study compared responses to the Threat Index, a widely used measure of the threat implied by one's personal death, of (a) 135 near-death experiences, (b) 43 individuals who had come close to death but not...
Five cases of poisoning by indigenous mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes) are reported. As this mushroom contains psilocybin, in general, clinical features were similar to those seen by pure psilocybin. Acute toxic stuporous state with complete amnesia in the culminating period occurred in one case, psychedelic state with dreamy consciousness in one case and psychotic adverse...
Investigated the proposition that effectiveness of coping with daytime and dream stress would be influenced by personality style, as defined by the Repression-Sensitization scale (R-S), and by dreaming style, as defined by frequent (F) or infrequent (I) questionnaire dream recall. The relationship between R-S and F-I dream recall also was explored. Ss kept dream diaries for 30 consecutive days....
Ten neurotic patients (five males and five females) were treated over a period of 2 to 6 months (mean, 4.1) as outpatients. The study allowed for a maximum of 75 hours of psychotherapy (mean, 51.55 hours). During the course of treatment, two to four (mean, 3.5) administrations of MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) were employed as adjunctive aids in an effort to enhance the psychotherapeutic...
Systematic desensitization in conjunction with other behavior techniques was utilized to treat a client who for 5 months was experiencing spontaneous recurrences of LSD effects. Besides the elimination of the target symptoms (flashback effects), additional desired changes occurred on both cognitive-affective and behavioral levels. A theoretical explanation of LSD flashback effects based on the...