Madness or spiritual journey?
Posted: 19 Dec 2011
Madness or spiritual journey?
In the essay "Psychosis", Susan Mitchell and Glenn Roberts were engaged to study the psychological aspects surrounding the mystics of different faiths and their mystical experiences. It has been proven long ago that Mystics and Gurus have experiences similar to psychotic disorders. Does this invalidate the authenticity of mystical experiences? According to these authors, neither confirms nor invalidates their spiritual positions.
The DSM-IV includes in its section "Additional problems that may be subject to clinical attention" to the religious or spiritual problem, however this is a non-pathological category and is used only when the object of clinical attention is a religious problem solving or spiritual.
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In the essay "Psychosis", Susan Mitchell and Glenn Roberts were engaged to study the psychological aspects surrounding the mystics of different faiths and their mystical experiences. It has been proven long ago that Mystics and Gurus have experiences similar to psychotic disorders. Does this invalidate the authenticity of mystical experiences? According to these authors, neither confirms nor invalidates their spiritual positions.
The DSM-IV includes in its section "Additional problems that may be subject to clinical attention" to the religious or spiritual problem, however this is a non-pathological category and is used only when the object of clinical attention is a religious problem solving or spiritual.
DSM-IV wrote:Religious or Spiritual Problem Z71.8 [V62.89]
This category can be used when the object of clinical attention is a religious or spiritual problem. Examples include the discomfort that involves the loss or questioning of faith. Other problems that may be of clinical care problems associated with conversion to a new faith, or questioning of spiritual values that may or may not necessarily be related to an organized church or religious institution.
But the importance of resolving underlying question is whether induced or spiritual experiences are not for any pathology. Already in 1902, the psychologist and philosopher William James observed in "The Varieties of Religious Experience" that exclusive devotion to a religious life tends to return to any person exceptional and eccentric. W. James did not refer to the followers of conventional religions but the actors originally subjects of such experiences, which established patterns which were then usually followed by individuals who developed suggestible and imitative behavior. According to him, these experiences can only be found in individuals for whom religion exists not only as a moderate habit but rather as an acute fever. He also says that every religious leader has witnessed extraordinary visits or have been persons of an exalted emotional sensibility, not to seem to have any balance usually have obsessions and fixed ideas. And, rightly observes this author, on the ground of religious belief and mystical, it is not uncommon to find episodes of trance, hearing voices, visions and other features would appear to enter fully into the realm of the pathological , although these aspects have helped to clothe religious authority and influence.
Samantha Day and Emmanuelle Peters, in "The Incidence of schizotypy in new religious Movements" found that the experiences of some individuals, but are unmistakable symptoms of schizophrenia, does not prevent normal functioning in society. In the review to members of certain "New Religious Movements" was suffering from a greater number of disorders and diseases, for example were more likely to have schizoid personality disorder, and to suffer more from depression or anxiety.
The relevant question raised by Susan Mitchell and Glenn Roberts on whether or not there really any difference between the phenomenological voices and visions of the psychotic mísiticos and still seems far from being completely resolved. Dr. Greenberg in his book "Mysticism and psychosis" examines some of the apparently common in psychosis and mystical study. Apparently, it is absolutely impossible to differences mystical experiences of psychosis solely on phenomenological description. This is because both have equally paranoid hallucinations or delusions of grandeur.
In general, it recognizes the inadequacy of descriptive diagnostic criteria to distinguish non-pathological pathological psychotic experiences. However, some experts (Saver and Rabin, 1997, Greenberg et al., 1992, Jackson and Fulford, 1997, etc) Have established some key differences between the two. For example, genuinely spiritual experiences often lead to the individual to improve their adaptation to different aspects of everyday life. In contrast, psychosis leads inevitably to social and behavioral impoverishment.
Hermann Lenz, in "Belief and Delusion", aims to highlight differences by observing the way of life of the person who suffers these experiences. The author notes that:
1) Hope and doubt are present only in relation to authentic mystical experience, while in the delirium only find an unshakable belief.
2) Human freedom is increased in those who believe, which is absent in delusional subjects.
3) The belief allows interaction between the individual and society, while the delirious has no ability in social terms.
However, these aspects are also quite misleading at times because they can be subject to delusions that follow patterns that contradict these principles.
Perhaps more illuminating observations can be made by E. Peters in "Psychosis and Spirituality." This expert in clinical psychology devotes a section to figure out what differentiates a religious experience of a pathological delirium, concluding that delirium can be determined depending on how much thought and to what extent it interferes with personal life. Is having, for example, if an individual fully immersed in their religious concerns (for example by reading the Bible all day) and the potential emotional and behavioral consequences that could result in their belief (eg if extreme emotional stress can sense a departure from the divine, or the complete passivity before the almighty god), which returns to a pathological belief.
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