Conversion disorders (formerly known as 'hysterical disorders') as examples of TMS equivalents
In The Hidden Psychology of Pain, I refer to the work of British psychiatrist and professor at the University of Leeds, Dr Allan House.
Dr House works with people who suffer from 'functional' paralysis, which in previous eras was referred to as 'hysterical' paralysis. This is seen when a person has lost the use of a part of their body, however, no physical reason can be identified for this- they are neurologically sound. As such, the condition is referred to as 'functional', as it is a disorder of functioning, and not of the physical structure as would occur with nerve damage. Dr House reports to working with people who are so paralysed, with no physical causes, that they are bound to wheelchairs, sometimes for decades. These people are not malingering- if they were caught in a fire, they would be unable to rise from their wheelchairs and walk to safety. He works with the hidden psychology of these people, identifying and healing the emotional/psychological issues which have led to the functional paralysis (in addition to physiotherapy assistance to recondition their atrophied muscles). Dr House reports cases of people who have learnt to walk again after decades confined to wheelchairs and unable to use their limbs. Functional paralysis is a fairly extreme example of a psycho-physiological disorder, and as such can be seen as yet another example of The MInd/Body Syndrome (TMS).
If it is possible for people to overcome hysterical paralysis with the use of depth-psychology, it seems less impossible to overcome chronic pain with the same methods.
The reference given for an interview with Dr House in The Hidden Psychology of Pain is incorrect. Below is the correct link, if you are wanting to read the transcript of the interview or listen to the podcast in which he discusses this phenomenon and his work.
In The Hidden Psychology of Pain, I refer to the work of British psychiatrist and professor at the University of Leeds, Dr Allan House.
Dr House works with people who suffer from 'functional' paralysis, which in previous eras was referred to as 'hysterical' paralysis. This is seen when a person has lost the use of a part of their body, however, no physical reason can be identified for this- they are neurologically sound. As such, the condition is referred to as 'functional', as it is a disorder of functioning, and not of the physical structure as would occur with nerve damage. Dr House reports to working with people who are so paralysed, with no physical causes, that they are bound to wheelchairs, sometimes for decades. These people are not malingering- if they were caught in a fire, they would be unable to rise from their wheelchairs and walk to safety. He works with the hidden psychology of these people, identifying and healing the emotional/psychological issues which have led to the functional paralysis (in addition to physiotherapy assistance to recondition their atrophied muscles). Dr House reports cases of people who have learnt to walk again after decades confined to wheelchairs and unable to use their limbs. Functional paralysis is a fairly extreme example of a psycho-physiological disorder, and as such can be seen as yet another example of The MInd/Body Syndrome (TMS).
If it is possible for people to overcome hysterical paralysis with the use of depth-psychology, it seems less impossible to overcome chronic pain with the same methods.
The reference given for an interview with Dr House in The Hidden Psychology of Pain is incorrect. Below is the correct link, if you are wanting to read the transcript of the interview or listen to the podcast in which he discusses this phenomenon and his work.