Citation

Mayer EE. J. Abnorm. Psychol. (1906) 1911; 6(4): 265-278.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1911, American Psychopathological Association, Publisher Gorham Press)

DOI

10.1037/h0070220

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Reports a case of a type of rare obsession, in the form of 'demoniacal possessions'. The report is in the form of a running account of the possession given to the therapist in association with Freud's method, and also based on letters which the therapist asked the patient to write to him. The patient complained of sleeplessness and of spiritual possession. The patient had psycholeptic crises attacks at intervals of 6-wks for many years which made him feel weak and short winded, and sleepy without being able to sleep. He would find relief only in consuming alcohol. The patient showed, in the strength of his obsessions, a double personality. He also reported definite delusions, paranoid in nature. The obsessions may be looked upon as a defensive neuropsychosis showing repression of painful memories. The patient's autosuggestibility helped in the process of psychoanalysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)