RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE A>TD PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT

'I shall center my attention upon the constructive aspects of the profounder variety of psychol'al conflict to which we give the name of `schizophrenia.' I shall submit & defend the position that psychol'al conflict, even in its schizophrenic manifestations, has religious sig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American psychologist 1958-10, Vol.13 (10), p.568-570
Main Author: Boisen, Anton T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Mental Illness
Religions
Religious Behavior
Schizophrenia
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:'I shall center my attention upon the constructive aspects of the profounder variety of psychol'al conflict to which we give the name of `schizophrenia.' I shall submit & defend the position that psychol'al conflict, even in its schizophrenic manifestations, has religious signif.' There are 'forms of mental illness which are manifestations of healing power analogous to fever or inflammation of the body.' An illustrative case history is presented. 'Fundamental mental disorder is best derstood as an attempt to deal with an intolerable sense of personal failure & guilt. Other things being equal, the outcome of an acute schizophrenic episode is likely to be constructive insofar as it represents an honest attempt on the part of the patient to grapple with his real difficulties. In order to understand either mental disorder or religious experience, the one should be studied in the light of the other.' PA.
ISSN:0003-066X