Once the ability to control actions is acquired, we can move on to the control of thoughts. Here again, there are three essential conditions: 1. The thought must be conscious.2. The patient must be able to concentrate on the thought.
3. The thought must be subject to the patient’s will.The thought must be conscious This means that patients must be aware of their thoughts; awareness, which is so natural in normal minds, is only partial in cases of non-control. It must be remembered that psychasthenics suffer from mental confusion most of the time; thoughts are unconnected, and
occur so rapidly that patients simply cannot be aware of everything that goes through their mind. Thoughts are rarely clear and precise, and are expressed only with great difficulty.
This state of cerebral unawareness varies considerably; it is sometimes so weak the patient doesn’t know it’s there; in other instances, it can be extremely intense and debilitating. Obviously, we cannot ask patients to judge, rationalize or differe between thoughts which they are unaware of. So the first step is to teach patients to be aware of what they are thinking, and to do this we have to determine the state of consciousness of their brain.
State of consciousnessTo help patients get used to being conscious of their own thought processes, we ask them to perform a quick examination of everything they are feeling and thinking, of any ideas they might have, a number
of times a day. This self examination may be carried out mentally or, in some cases, written down so that it can be analyzed by the treating physician. A written report has the added advantage of forcing patients to formulate their thoughts more precisely. Awareness is equivalent to the “gnoti seauton” of ancient philosophy; more than anyone, psychasthenics must learn to “know themselves” in order to arrive at an understanding of what is positive and what is negative about the functioning of their own brain.
They must understand the way their mind works, and become aware of the abnormal ways in which they modify certain thoughts and impressions; they must also learn what thoughts or ideas provoke anxiety. They will learn that having uncontrolled thoughts is like being in a car with no driver - the vehicle has no direction, often heading toward a destination which is completely different from the one intended, and usually ending in disaster. They will learn that some
thoughts must be avoided altogether, if they want to stop suffering; that certain ideas produce certain symptoms, and that fear of pain will almost surely bring on the pain.
If this analysis is carried out properly, it will give patients a field of experience on which to base further thoughts and actions; after a number of attempts, they will finally understand that certain thoughts are to be avoided, and that this can only be achieved through controlling thoughts and impressions.
Physicians have a very important role to play - they must show patients their errors, and also what to look for; they will lso discover a host of indications for further treatment. What patients should not be permitted to do is concentrate on all
their little pains and anxieties, which is what they are usually preoccupied with, but rather shown how to look for the causes of their particular problem. This is quite different from the more traditional technique which requires patients to make notes of all their minor problems in a little black book, and which we believe is an ineffective treatment. Our analysis is designed to be useful and interesting. Instead of noting problems, patients keep track of the progress they are
making, and see results in a relatively short time.
To achieve a more or less complete state of consciousness, patients must first look at the state of their brain. State of the brainFrom a control point of view, we can distinguish two primary states of the brain: 1. Active state 2. Passive stateActive stateBy this we mean the brain in its normal state, which can also exist in psychasthenics. A hand, placed on a patient’s forehead, will detect a regular, rhythmic vibration without bursts or lulls of activity; psychologically
speaking, this state represents the brain in its conscious and controlled state, subject to the person’s will.
We can also call this the positive state: patients have better comprehension; they are aware of what they are thinking and doing, and know what they want to do; the brain is not burdened by anxiety, fear, or any abnormal ideas. Passive state
The passive state refers to all varieties of cerebral non-control. The mind may be conscious, but it is never voluntary, i.e. it is not directed by the person’s will. Psychologically speaking, this state is characterized by extreme receptivity, as if the mind were exposed to all kinds of deficiencies, obsessions and phobias. These psychological symptoms only arise in the passive state, which is therefore perfectly representative of a pathological state of the mind.
To give patients an idea of what the passive state is, we can describe the main forms it assumes, starting with the one closest to the active state:1. Semi-conscious dreaming and fatigue 2. Wandering mind 3. Excess excitability4. Confusion
5. Anxiety 6. Depression 7. Anguish Each case represents a special type - one person will suffer more from excess excitation or confusion, while another will succumb to depression or anxiety. But almost all will experience some degree of all the symptoms associated with the passive state.
Each variety has is particular vibration, which can be easily distinguished through hand contact. An experienced therapist will be able to differentiate the dream state from excess excitability, or simple wandering of the mind from real anxiety.
This classification aims to facilitate our understanding of the passive state which, once it is recognized, can then be modified. We are convinced that the greatest difficulty in curing psychasthenia consists of the fact that patients do not know what is wrong with them they do not understand the problem, or even if they do, they don’t know how to go about changing it. Therefore, it is up to us to provide them with the tools they need -i.e. regaining awareness through reeducation - so that they can cure themselves.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Controlling actions
Learning to control actions is the first step in re-educating the brain; it the simplest way to achieve this and, although it may often seem almost childish at first, it does provide appreciable results. If we observe the way psychasthenic patients carry out their dailyactivities, we notice a remarkable lack of clarity and precision. It is as if their thoughts were elsewhere most of the time, or they were incapable of thinking about what they are doing while doing it. This makes their actions hesitant - you get the feeling they lack any kind of determination.
Let’s look at an example: A psychasthenic wants to get something from his room, but by the time he gets to his room, he often forgets what it was he came for; if the object is in a locked drawer, he will take it out and then forget to close the drawer, or lock it, and so on. All actions are carried out in an altered state of consciousness, without purpose or determined will; the patient is not able to retain the initial impulse, which was to retrieve such and such an object,
and see it through to the end.
You can imagine how inconvenient this is in everyday life; in addition, all these semi-conscious acts have repercussions on the brain; the mind tires of trying to remember what it is supposed to be doing; the constant uncertainty troubles the patient, and leads to a loss of self confidence.
We do not begin by asking patients to control all their daily activities - this would be impossible - but simply to perform a certain number of predetermined actions every hour. In a relatively short time, the constant repetition of predetermined, controlled actions creates a kind of cerebral pattern which patients find very useful. Before we proceed to the re-education of actions, we must first understand what it is we are asking of patients. A controlled action must be “conscious,” which means that patients must be absolutely present and concentrated on what they are doing.
This should exclude all distractions from interfering. That is the first point. The second important point is the following: during a consciousact, the brain must be uniquely receptive; its function is to record precisely what is taking place; the brain must “feel” the action and not think it. This distinction between feeling and thinking clearly distinguishes a controlled, conscious act from a non-controlled one. Thinking an act means emitting energy, while feeling it means receiving energy. By developing this receptivity, sensations become accurate instead of distorted, as is often the case with neurasthenic patients. Patients must get into the habit of looking clearly at what they’re seeing, of listening to what they hear, and of feeling what they do.
Here is how to proceed: Vision Vision becomes conscious when you simply allow the vibrations of the object you are looking at to penetrate your eyes. You should feel as if you are absorbing the object without making any effort to do
so, without having to stare hard at it. You are not looking for details; your mind should grasp the object in its entirety, and create an image which becomes very clear with a little practice.
HearingThe same goes for hearing: you have to allow the sound you’re listening to to penetrate you, and learn to open your ears without making any forced effort. You could listen to the ticking of a clock for a moment, or the noise of a moving tram, to reinforce your awareness of hearing. Perceiving sounds in this way makes patients less irritable, since
they can become indifferent even to unpleasant noises, when they perceive them consciously. This simple procedure works very well when treating noise-related phobias.
TouchThe first sensation which is perceived, whether cold or hot, hard or soft, will be the most conscious. The object presented to the patient should not be analyzed. Patientsshould only be asked to report their initial sensation. Other
senses (taste, smell) are treated in the same way. Movement control Every action become conscious if the movement involved in the act is perceived in its totality.
For example, to lock a drawer, you have to realize that turning the key completes the action; or if you put a coin into your wallet, you have to understand that it is really there. True awareness excludes all uncertainty: you know that the drawer is locked, or that your wallet really contains the coin. Thinking alone, without conscious awareness, will always open the door to doubt and all its consequences.
When re-educating the mind to be more conscious, it is useless to try and work with complicated actions; the best actions are those which are carried out most frequently, and on a day to day basis. By using such actions, patients can stop their thought process for an instant and become totally conscious of what they are doing, which calms the mind and allows it to rest. walkingWalking merits special attention because it allows for the frequent application of conscious activity, despite the complexity of the movement involved.
Conscious walking usually creates an impression of suppleness and certainty; it does not occur until coordination of the various sensations involved in the act of walking has been achieved by the brain.
To do this, you must proceed in successive stages. First instruct patients to perceive the sensation of their foot touching
the ground, then the movement of the leg, and finally that of the entire body. Breathing is also involved, and should be adapted to the movement. Also don’t forget that vision and hearing are a part of walking as well.
Conscious walking can make patients less tired, and dispel dizziness in some cases. It has been successfully used in the treatment of agoraphobia. Voluntary actsWe consider voluntary acts as a special class, slightly apart from other actions, and very useful as far as training is concerned. We naturally agree that all conscious acts are at the same time voluntary, since they are carried out by choice, but we do make the following distinction. When we ask patients to perform an act consciously, we are asking them to simply concentrate on the sensations produced by the act, for example the sensation of bending an arm or touching a light switch. In acts which are qualified as voluntary, patients concentrate more on the feeling of their desire to perform the action -i.e. they feel they want to bend their arm, or raise it to close a light switch.
Getting a patient to stand up as a conscious act can be translated into the following verbalization: “I feel myself getting up.” If the act is voluntary, the patient will verbalize it this way: “I feel myself wanting to get up.” Making this distinction may seem overly subtle, but it does have its uses, since it is the first step in re-educating the faculty of willpower.
And there is a difference in cerebral vibration which can be detected when using the technique of hand application. The waves will be stronger for voluntary acts than for conscious acts. So patients should be taught to perform various voluntary acts during the course of the day, and learn to distinguish them from purely conscious ones. When they awaken in the morning, they should get up voluntarily, and go to bed in the same way; they should leave their dwelling place because they want to go out, and so on.
Physical effect of controlling actionsNow let’s look at how controlled action affects psychasthenics. At first, it may seem as if this constant effort to concentrate and act attentively is completely abnormal, placing an added strain on patients
and adding yet another unhealthy symptom to the list. However, what may be true for a balanced mind is not necessarily
true for a non-controlled mind. Psychasthenic patients, therefore, can develop very useful habits through voluntary action. If their actions are carried out properly, they feel more in control, become calmer and weigh their actions more carefully. With their brain constantly occupied with something concrete, they experience less and less anxiety.
Their self confidence is given a boost, and they get into the habit of controlling what they think and do. The more patients are made to perform precise conscious or voluntary acts, the faster they will find that the effort and concentration required, which is somewhat difficult at first, soon diminishes; conscious action will no longer be work, but a practical habit, which becomes progressively more natural and normal.
Also, conscious or voluntary actions make a deeper impression on the brain; patients can more easily remember what they did, and this, in turn, serves to gradually strengthen the faculty of memory which was completely lacking beforehand. A common error for beginners is to make too much of an effort to make actions conscious. On the contrary, controlled actions should be relaxing, since the brain has to concentrate on only a single idea or sensation - that of the action being carried out. To summarize, controlled movement results in: 1. Patients being fully conscious of the action they areperforming;2. Clarity of thoughts associated with the action;3. The feeling that the act is desired or voluntary.
In addition, patients are obliged to concentrate on the present moment, which relaxes the brain and allows it to rest. As far as sensations are concerned, control teaches patients to receive impressions as they are, without distorting them by thinking too much; it heightens receptivity, and in so doing helps patients exteriorize more easily.
Let’s look at an example: A psychasthenic wants to get something from his room, but by the time he gets to his room, he often forgets what it was he came for; if the object is in a locked drawer, he will take it out and then forget to close the drawer, or lock it, and so on. All actions are carried out in an altered state of consciousness, without purpose or determined will; the patient is not able to retain the initial impulse, which was to retrieve such and such an object,
and see it through to the end.
You can imagine how inconvenient this is in everyday life; in addition, all these semi-conscious acts have repercussions on the brain; the mind tires of trying to remember what it is supposed to be doing; the constant uncertainty troubles the patient, and leads to a loss of self confidence.
We do not begin by asking patients to control all their daily activities - this would be impossible - but simply to perform a certain number of predetermined actions every hour. In a relatively short time, the constant repetition of predetermined, controlled actions creates a kind of cerebral pattern which patients find very useful. Before we proceed to the re-education of actions, we must first understand what it is we are asking of patients. A controlled action must be “conscious,” which means that patients must be absolutely present and concentrated on what they are doing.
This should exclude all distractions from interfering. That is the first point. The second important point is the following: during a consciousact, the brain must be uniquely receptive; its function is to record precisely what is taking place; the brain must “feel” the action and not think it. This distinction between feeling and thinking clearly distinguishes a controlled, conscious act from a non-controlled one. Thinking an act means emitting energy, while feeling it means receiving energy. By developing this receptivity, sensations become accurate instead of distorted, as is often the case with neurasthenic patients. Patients must get into the habit of looking clearly at what they’re seeing, of listening to what they hear, and of feeling what they do.
Here is how to proceed: Vision Vision becomes conscious when you simply allow the vibrations of the object you are looking at to penetrate your eyes. You should feel as if you are absorbing the object without making any effort to do
so, without having to stare hard at it. You are not looking for details; your mind should grasp the object in its entirety, and create an image which becomes very clear with a little practice.
HearingThe same goes for hearing: you have to allow the sound you’re listening to to penetrate you, and learn to open your ears without making any forced effort. You could listen to the ticking of a clock for a moment, or the noise of a moving tram, to reinforce your awareness of hearing. Perceiving sounds in this way makes patients less irritable, since
they can become indifferent even to unpleasant noises, when they perceive them consciously. This simple procedure works very well when treating noise-related phobias.
TouchThe first sensation which is perceived, whether cold or hot, hard or soft, will be the most conscious. The object presented to the patient should not be analyzed. Patientsshould only be asked to report their initial sensation. Other
senses (taste, smell) are treated in the same way. Movement control Every action become conscious if the movement involved in the act is perceived in its totality.
For example, to lock a drawer, you have to realize that turning the key completes the action; or if you put a coin into your wallet, you have to understand that it is really there. True awareness excludes all uncertainty: you know that the drawer is locked, or that your wallet really contains the coin. Thinking alone, without conscious awareness, will always open the door to doubt and all its consequences.
When re-educating the mind to be more conscious, it is useless to try and work with complicated actions; the best actions are those which are carried out most frequently, and on a day to day basis. By using such actions, patients can stop their thought process for an instant and become totally conscious of what they are doing, which calms the mind and allows it to rest. walkingWalking merits special attention because it allows for the frequent application of conscious activity, despite the complexity of the movement involved.
Conscious walking usually creates an impression of suppleness and certainty; it does not occur until coordination of the various sensations involved in the act of walking has been achieved by the brain.
To do this, you must proceed in successive stages. First instruct patients to perceive the sensation of their foot touching
the ground, then the movement of the leg, and finally that of the entire body. Breathing is also involved, and should be adapted to the movement. Also don’t forget that vision and hearing are a part of walking as well.
Conscious walking can make patients less tired, and dispel dizziness in some cases. It has been successfully used in the treatment of agoraphobia. Voluntary actsWe consider voluntary acts as a special class, slightly apart from other actions, and very useful as far as training is concerned. We naturally agree that all conscious acts are at the same time voluntary, since they are carried out by choice, but we do make the following distinction. When we ask patients to perform an act consciously, we are asking them to simply concentrate on the sensations produced by the act, for example the sensation of bending an arm or touching a light switch. In acts which are qualified as voluntary, patients concentrate more on the feeling of their desire to perform the action -i.e. they feel they want to bend their arm, or raise it to close a light switch.
Getting a patient to stand up as a conscious act can be translated into the following verbalization: “I feel myself getting up.” If the act is voluntary, the patient will verbalize it this way: “I feel myself wanting to get up.” Making this distinction may seem overly subtle, but it does have its uses, since it is the first step in re-educating the faculty of willpower.
And there is a difference in cerebral vibration which can be detected when using the technique of hand application. The waves will be stronger for voluntary acts than for conscious acts. So patients should be taught to perform various voluntary acts during the course of the day, and learn to distinguish them from purely conscious ones. When they awaken in the morning, they should get up voluntarily, and go to bed in the same way; they should leave their dwelling place because they want to go out, and so on.
Physical effect of controlling actionsNow let’s look at how controlled action affects psychasthenics. At first, it may seem as if this constant effort to concentrate and act attentively is completely abnormal, placing an added strain on patients
and adding yet another unhealthy symptom to the list. However, what may be true for a balanced mind is not necessarily
true for a non-controlled mind. Psychasthenic patients, therefore, can develop very useful habits through voluntary action. If their actions are carried out properly, they feel more in control, become calmer and weigh their actions more carefully. With their brain constantly occupied with something concrete, they experience less and less anxiety.
Their self confidence is given a boost, and they get into the habit of controlling what they think and do. The more patients are made to perform precise conscious or voluntary acts, the faster they will find that the effort and concentration required, which is somewhat difficult at first, soon diminishes; conscious action will no longer be work, but a practical habit, which becomes progressively more natural and normal.
Also, conscious or voluntary actions make a deeper impression on the brain; patients can more easily remember what they did, and this, in turn, serves to gradually strengthen the faculty of memory which was completely lacking beforehand. A common error for beginners is to make too much of an effort to make actions conscious. On the contrary, controlled actions should be relaxing, since the brain has to concentrate on only a single idea or sensation - that of the action being carried out. To summarize, controlled movement results in: 1. Patients being fully conscious of the action they areperforming;2. Clarity of thoughts associated with the action;3. The feeling that the act is desired or voluntary.
In addition, patients are obliged to concentrate on the present moment, which relaxes the brain and allows it to rest. As far as sensations are concerned, control teaches patients to receive impressions as they are, without distorting them by thinking too much; it heightens receptivity, and in so doing helps patients exteriorize more easily.
Treatment
As we begin our discussion of treatment, we should keep in mind what we learned in the preceding chapters, and consider the cure of psychasthenia from two aspects: 1. Functional2. PsychologicalWe will therefore have two ell-defined objectives: 1. Modify the cerebral mechanism through functional re-educa-tion. 2. Modify the mental state through psychological re-education. These two objectives are actually inseparable, and we are only making the distinction for the sake of clarity. Functional treatmentWe have stated that all cases of instability or insufficiency of control are characterized not only by psychological modifications, but also by functional changes. It is therefore quite natural to try and adjust the brain’s abnormal functioning, just as we try to adjust a patient’s abnormal thinking.
Patients find this material approach to their illness very useful: they need some kind of concrete representation, something more tangible than simply dealing with thought processes, since they know that these are already out of their control to a large extent. Through functional treatment, we teach patients how to modify an abnormal vibration by providing them with the qualities they lack. In other words, they are shown how cerebral control should operate, and how
to replace their own non-control.
The mental exercise we offer here are designed to re-establish the essential qualities of cerebral control; their aim, therefore, is to help patients acquire willpower, concentration and an awareness of their defects. They also correspond to the various types of normal vibrations, so that by practising them, patients are led towards the objective (functional and psychological healing). Insufficient control is not simply a question of thoughts and mental processes, but also affects even the simplest actions, and all forms of sensation.
We will therefore begin our program of re-education by teaching patients how to control their ordinary actions and sensations, before moving on to the control of thoughts and ideas. a
Patients find this material approach to their illness very useful: they need some kind of concrete representation, something more tangible than simply dealing with thought processes, since they know that these are already out of their control to a large extent. Through functional treatment, we teach patients how to modify an abnormal vibration by providing them with the qualities they lack. In other words, they are shown how cerebral control should operate, and how
to replace their own non-control.
The mental exercise we offer here are designed to re-establish the essential qualities of cerebral control; their aim, therefore, is to help patients acquire willpower, concentration and an awareness of their defects. They also correspond to the various types of normal vibrations, so that by practising them, patients are led towards the objective (functional and psychological healing). Insufficient control is not simply a question of thoughts and mental processes, but also affects even the simplest actions, and all forms of sensation.
We will therefore begin our program of re-education by teaching patients how to control their ordinary actions and sensations, before moving on to the control of thoughts and ideas. a
How to control the brain
In demonstrating the necessity for the re-training of cerebral control, we said that patients must be shown what to do. How to achieve this is, in fact, the tricky part of the problem, and will be of special interest to physicians who are directly involved in treatment. However, before beginning our study of the training itself, we should explain the procedure we will be using, i.e. how we will show patients precisely what they should do.
Direct control of the brain, at the present stage of scientific development, is beyond our control. This means that there are few means at our disposal to verify what patients report in terms of what is actually happening in the brain.
Struck by this gap in our scientific knowledge, I tried to find some simple method of verification.
It seemed to me to be quite amazing that symptoms which are sometimes extremely intense could not be perceived (i.e. verified) objectively. The cerebral pulse (electroencephalograph) provided some indication of what was going on, but was not practical enough, and required the use of highly sensitive instruments. My own personal experience showed me that, contrary to current opinion, the hand, when placed on the forehead of a patient, and when sufficiently trained, can provide a fairly accurate indication of what is happening in the brain. It is very likely that the entire body vibrates in unison with the brain, a sensation which is clearly felt by persons suffering from certain disorders. This vibration is not limited to the forehead, but is more perceptible in that region. It is completely different from the cerebral pulse, and is caused by a contraction of the skin and skin muscles. The intensity of the contraction corresponds to the patient’s
intensity of concentration.
Therefore, perceiving this vibration is not a question of having some kind of special gift or having especially sensitive hands; for years, many patients have been able to perceive it just as well as I can. I am well aware of how skeptical people will be about this, because it is difficult to admit that the brain’s activity can be detected through the skull; I cannot explain how it works - all I can say is that there is an exterior effect, and this effect can be felt by the hand; it appears as a series of repeated shocks, creating the sensation of a wave or particular kind of vibration.
For those who wish to try it, here’s how to proceed:
Ask someone to concentrate on the ticking of a metronome, or better still to mentally repeat the ticking sound. Place your hand on the person’s forehead, either flat or cupped, and you will feel a subtle shock or beating which is more perceptible on either the right or left side, depending on where the metronome needle is.
If you increase the metronome’s speed, the beating will become more rapid; decrease the speed and the beating slows down accordingly. If the subject is distracted, you will not feel any beats - the sensation in your hand will change, or stop altogether. There is, therefore, a correlation between what the subject is thinking and the sensation you experience in your hand.
It is possible that your sensation will not be precise enough the first time you try the experiment, but if you are patient, the sensation gradually becomes clear.
We are presenting this phenomenon as a simple hypothesis, although later on we will provide more complete and scientific proof of its accuracy.
For the moment, lets us assume that the sensation which is perceived does relate to cerebral activity, and that it is modified according to the state the brain is in. It then becomes easy to perceive the difference between a calm brain and one which is agitated, as well as the difference between a controlled idea or thought, and one which isn’t. This phenomenon is a powerful diagnostic tool, allowing doctors to verify how patients are thinking or behaving.
We are in no way suggesting that we can determine what a patient is thinking with this technique. All we can do is verify his/her level of control.
With a little practice, you can begin to recognize certain different sensations, perceived through the hands, which correspond to different states of the brain. We will try to describe them, and give names to the various vibrations or waves which are perceived.
Abnormal states of the brain
In the context of non-control, we find three main types of abnormalities:
1. State of torpor
2. State of hyperactivity
3. State of tension
1. The state of torpor is characterized by a reduction of sensation perceived by the hand; reactions are slower and more irregular; it feels as if the brain is less active, heavy, and lacking energy.
2. The state of hyperactivity, on the other hand, is accompanied by very strong, but disorganized sensations, which differ from normal agitation which always present a certain regularity of vibration.
3. The state of tension almost always causes pain, either piercing pain in the nape of the neck, or pressure on the temples. Patients feel as if their brain is “blocked or contracted.” At first, the phenomenon is caused by a natural defense against anxiety, or simply because patients become more or less conscious that they are not in control of their own brain. It is therefore constantly present in all neurasthenics.
The initial temporary symptom can, in certain cases, become persistent, and create a particular type of disorder.
This particular type, although it occurs relatively frequently, seems to have been ignored by most authors. It is characterized by three
symptoms:
Irritability
Pain
Fatigue
Irritability is the result of the hypersensitivity of the brain in a state of constant tension, and since this state is ermanent, it is quite natural for persons to become irritated and upset about almost anything. Pain varies in intensity and form: patients sometimes feel as if they are about to explode -the skull feels too small to contain the pressure; or they may feel as if a steel band were being progressively tightened around their head. One patient described it as feeling like a
violin string which has been tuned too tightly, and which vibrates with pain.
Fatigue is a perfectly normal result, considering the extreme tension; this cannot go on indefinitely, and when it stops patients experience intense fatigue, which they end up fearing as much as the pain itself.
The tension or feeling of contraction is not limited to the brain, but can be felt throughout the body. In the first place, muscles become more or less contracted, and sometimes painful; walking becomes difficult, and sometimes impossible;
balance is unstable. Patients may also suffer from contractions of the esophagus, stomach or intestines.
These muscular symptoms often lead to an erroneous diagnosis, especially when they are limited to a single arm or leg. They may be mistakenly attributed to hysterical contractions and, when more generalized, to lesions of the encephalon or spinal cord. It is easy to detect this kind of cerebral tension through direct examination: the vibrations are very tense, like a wire vibrating very quickly; waves have hardly any amplitude, and are so faint they are hardly perceptible.
Normal or abnormal vibrationsAs we have just seen, different abnormal states of the brain produce
different sensations, which can be detected through hand contact. To make this more clear, let’s look at the most typical kinds of vibrations we are likely to encounter - this will make it easier for those who wish to try the experiment themselves. First, let’s look at the vibrations produced by a normal brain.
In these cases, you will perceive a kind of pulsing, which varies in speed, depending on the state of the brain, from between 5 and 100 beats per minute. The slower the vibration, the calmer the brain; the faster the vibration,
the more animated the brain is. There are also differences in amplitude and strength. Also, as soon as willpower comes into play, it is easy to detect an immediate increase in vibratory speed and/or amplitude.
Despite these variations, all normal vibrations are fairly rhythmic and regular; this is what differentiates them from abnormal vibrations, which are always irregular.
If you examine a neurasthenic’s brain, even during periods when s/he feels perfectly normal, you will never detect very regular vibrations. They may appear to be normal at first, since you can perceive a few rhythmic beats, but suddenly they change, and you feel a series of disorganized beats, after which they become regular for awhile, only to change again a little later on. If you question the patient, s/he may tell you that the change was due to a thought or a distraction, or
s/he may not have been conscious of the change at all. The examining physician can conclude with certainty that the change was due to an interruption of cerebral control.
As soon as patients become obsessed with an idea, or simply overexcited, the pulse becomes very rapid -too fast to count. You may also perceive a violent pulse, followed by a series of very rapid, fluttering vibrations, which are hardly perceptible; in addition, rarely do subsequent series of vibrations exhibit the same amplitude or intensity.
The state of anxiety is simply an increase in patients’ already overexcited cerebral activity; beats are even more intense and more disorganized, and create a feeling of terror or panic. The state of tension mentioned earlier represents a fourth form of abnormality, presenting the same irregularities as those described above.
These various modalities constitute the major forms of the state of cerebral non-control; as soon as they are detected, a physician may proceed with the training program we referred to earlier on.
How to modify an abnormal vibration
If we accept the fact that abnormal vibrations, which correspond to particular states of cerebral non-control, exist, then we can conclude that any insufficiency modifies brain function. When treating neurasthenia, we will have to take this new element into account, since it guides us towards the development of an effective training program: the re-education of cerebral control cannot be considered complete until the abnormal brain function has been replaced, and abnormal vibrations are replaced by normal vibrations. The first question we have to ask then is how can we change the
vibrations?
To do this we first have to discover what causes them. We already know the answer - they are caused either by an instability, or an insufficiency of cerebral control. But these very general causes do not give us enough of an indication upon which to base a training or reeducation program. Therefore, there are other factors which we must consider carefully, and which can provide us with keys to the puzzle. When examining a patient’s skull, it very often happens that we feel a change in the abnormal vibration; it resumes a regular rhythm, and resembles vibrations characteristic of cerebral control.
What causes this sudden change in abnormal vibration? Here are the three main reasons:
1. If the case is one of simple instability, it is enough for the patient to become more aware of what s/he is doing and thinking.
2. When there is some degree of insufficiency, awareness alone is not enough; the patient must be able to concentrate on what s/he is thinking or doing.
3. The third factor, and the most important, can replace the previous two: it involves bringing willpower into play. The patient must make the thought or act voluntary, in other words the thought or act is subject to his/her will.
Therefore, normal cerebral control depends on these three factors - awareness, concentration and willpower - being present. Patients have to be sufficiently conscious, concentrated, and able to exercise willpower, in order to modify an abnormal vibration.
Direct control of the brain, at the present stage of scientific development, is beyond our control. This means that there are few means at our disposal to verify what patients report in terms of what is actually happening in the brain.
Struck by this gap in our scientific knowledge, I tried to find some simple method of verification.
It seemed to me to be quite amazing that symptoms which are sometimes extremely intense could not be perceived (i.e. verified) objectively. The cerebral pulse (electroencephalograph) provided some indication of what was going on, but was not practical enough, and required the use of highly sensitive instruments. My own personal experience showed me that, contrary to current opinion, the hand, when placed on the forehead of a patient, and when sufficiently trained, can provide a fairly accurate indication of what is happening in the brain. It is very likely that the entire body vibrates in unison with the brain, a sensation which is clearly felt by persons suffering from certain disorders. This vibration is not limited to the forehead, but is more perceptible in that region. It is completely different from the cerebral pulse, and is caused by a contraction of the skin and skin muscles. The intensity of the contraction corresponds to the patient’s
intensity of concentration.
Therefore, perceiving this vibration is not a question of having some kind of special gift or having especially sensitive hands; for years, many patients have been able to perceive it just as well as I can. I am well aware of how skeptical people will be about this, because it is difficult to admit that the brain’s activity can be detected through the skull; I cannot explain how it works - all I can say is that there is an exterior effect, and this effect can be felt by the hand; it appears as a series of repeated shocks, creating the sensation of a wave or particular kind of vibration.
For those who wish to try it, here’s how to proceed:
Ask someone to concentrate on the ticking of a metronome, or better still to mentally repeat the ticking sound. Place your hand on the person’s forehead, either flat or cupped, and you will feel a subtle shock or beating which is more perceptible on either the right or left side, depending on where the metronome needle is.
If you increase the metronome’s speed, the beating will become more rapid; decrease the speed and the beating slows down accordingly. If the subject is distracted, you will not feel any beats - the sensation in your hand will change, or stop altogether. There is, therefore, a correlation between what the subject is thinking and the sensation you experience in your hand.
It is possible that your sensation will not be precise enough the first time you try the experiment, but if you are patient, the sensation gradually becomes clear.
We are presenting this phenomenon as a simple hypothesis, although later on we will provide more complete and scientific proof of its accuracy.
For the moment, lets us assume that the sensation which is perceived does relate to cerebral activity, and that it is modified according to the state the brain is in. It then becomes easy to perceive the difference between a calm brain and one which is agitated, as well as the difference between a controlled idea or thought, and one which isn’t. This phenomenon is a powerful diagnostic tool, allowing doctors to verify how patients are thinking or behaving.
We are in no way suggesting that we can determine what a patient is thinking with this technique. All we can do is verify his/her level of control.
With a little practice, you can begin to recognize certain different sensations, perceived through the hands, which correspond to different states of the brain. We will try to describe them, and give names to the various vibrations or waves which are perceived.
Abnormal states of the brain
In the context of non-control, we find three main types of abnormalities:
1. State of torpor
2. State of hyperactivity
3. State of tension
1. The state of torpor is characterized by a reduction of sensation perceived by the hand; reactions are slower and more irregular; it feels as if the brain is less active, heavy, and lacking energy.
2. The state of hyperactivity, on the other hand, is accompanied by very strong, but disorganized sensations, which differ from normal agitation which always present a certain regularity of vibration.
3. The state of tension almost always causes pain, either piercing pain in the nape of the neck, or pressure on the temples. Patients feel as if their brain is “blocked or contracted.” At first, the phenomenon is caused by a natural defense against anxiety, or simply because patients become more or less conscious that they are not in control of their own brain. It is therefore constantly present in all neurasthenics.
The initial temporary symptom can, in certain cases, become persistent, and create a particular type of disorder.
This particular type, although it occurs relatively frequently, seems to have been ignored by most authors. It is characterized by three
symptoms:
Irritability
Pain
Fatigue
Irritability is the result of the hypersensitivity of the brain in a state of constant tension, and since this state is ermanent, it is quite natural for persons to become irritated and upset about almost anything. Pain varies in intensity and form: patients sometimes feel as if they are about to explode -the skull feels too small to contain the pressure; or they may feel as if a steel band were being progressively tightened around their head. One patient described it as feeling like a
violin string which has been tuned too tightly, and which vibrates with pain.
Fatigue is a perfectly normal result, considering the extreme tension; this cannot go on indefinitely, and when it stops patients experience intense fatigue, which they end up fearing as much as the pain itself.
The tension or feeling of contraction is not limited to the brain, but can be felt throughout the body. In the first place, muscles become more or less contracted, and sometimes painful; walking becomes difficult, and sometimes impossible;
balance is unstable. Patients may also suffer from contractions of the esophagus, stomach or intestines.
These muscular symptoms often lead to an erroneous diagnosis, especially when they are limited to a single arm or leg. They may be mistakenly attributed to hysterical contractions and, when more generalized, to lesions of the encephalon or spinal cord. It is easy to detect this kind of cerebral tension through direct examination: the vibrations are very tense, like a wire vibrating very quickly; waves have hardly any amplitude, and are so faint they are hardly perceptible.
Normal or abnormal vibrationsAs we have just seen, different abnormal states of the brain produce
different sensations, which can be detected through hand contact. To make this more clear, let’s look at the most typical kinds of vibrations we are likely to encounter - this will make it easier for those who wish to try the experiment themselves. First, let’s look at the vibrations produced by a normal brain.
In these cases, you will perceive a kind of pulsing, which varies in speed, depending on the state of the brain, from between 5 and 100 beats per minute. The slower the vibration, the calmer the brain; the faster the vibration,
the more animated the brain is. There are also differences in amplitude and strength. Also, as soon as willpower comes into play, it is easy to detect an immediate increase in vibratory speed and/or amplitude.
Despite these variations, all normal vibrations are fairly rhythmic and regular; this is what differentiates them from abnormal vibrations, which are always irregular.
If you examine a neurasthenic’s brain, even during periods when s/he feels perfectly normal, you will never detect very regular vibrations. They may appear to be normal at first, since you can perceive a few rhythmic beats, but suddenly they change, and you feel a series of disorganized beats, after which they become regular for awhile, only to change again a little later on. If you question the patient, s/he may tell you that the change was due to a thought or a distraction, or
s/he may not have been conscious of the change at all. The examining physician can conclude with certainty that the change was due to an interruption of cerebral control.
As soon as patients become obsessed with an idea, or simply overexcited, the pulse becomes very rapid -too fast to count. You may also perceive a violent pulse, followed by a series of very rapid, fluttering vibrations, which are hardly perceptible; in addition, rarely do subsequent series of vibrations exhibit the same amplitude or intensity.
The state of anxiety is simply an increase in patients’ already overexcited cerebral activity; beats are even more intense and more disorganized, and create a feeling of terror or panic. The state of tension mentioned earlier represents a fourth form of abnormality, presenting the same irregularities as those described above.
These various modalities constitute the major forms of the state of cerebral non-control; as soon as they are detected, a physician may proceed with the training program we referred to earlier on.
How to modify an abnormal vibration
If we accept the fact that abnormal vibrations, which correspond to particular states of cerebral non-control, exist, then we can conclude that any insufficiency modifies brain function. When treating neurasthenia, we will have to take this new element into account, since it guides us towards the development of an effective training program: the re-education of cerebral control cannot be considered complete until the abnormal brain function has been replaced, and abnormal vibrations are replaced by normal vibrations. The first question we have to ask then is how can we change the
vibrations?
To do this we first have to discover what causes them. We already know the answer - they are caused either by an instability, or an insufficiency of cerebral control. But these very general causes do not give us enough of an indication upon which to base a training or reeducation program. Therefore, there are other factors which we must consider carefully, and which can provide us with keys to the puzzle. When examining a patient’s skull, it very often happens that we feel a change in the abnormal vibration; it resumes a regular rhythm, and resembles vibrations characteristic of cerebral control.
What causes this sudden change in abnormal vibration? Here are the three main reasons:
1. If the case is one of simple instability, it is enough for the patient to become more aware of what s/he is doing and thinking.
2. When there is some degree of insufficiency, awareness alone is not enough; the patient must be able to concentrate on what s/he is thinking or doing.
3. The third factor, and the most important, can replace the previous two: it involves bringing willpower into play. The patient must make the thought or act voluntary, in other words the thought or act is subject to his/her will.
Therefore, normal cerebral control depends on these three factors - awareness, concentration and willpower - being present. Patients have to be sufficiently conscious, concentrated, and able to exercise willpower, in order to modify an abnormal vibration.
Vision
All abnormalities related to vision are aggravated in cases of noncontrol; like thoughts, images can be less clear, confused, and this without any physical alteration of the organ itself. It has often been noted that images seem to hit the retina without being transmitted to the brain; psychologically speaking, it is as if patients were looking without seeing or, listening without hearing.
HearingUnlike vision, which is obscured, hearing is usually intensified. Patients become overexcited, and overly sensitive to the least noise, which often results in insomnia. TouchSensation in the hands seems accurate, but somehow gets erased before it reaches the brain, so that patients are not conscious of what they are touching, or of what they are doing.
This is precisely the mental process we are attempting to emphasize, since, although the physiological symptoms which we have just described are of little importance in themselves, understanding their psychological origin is essential if they are to be treated with any success.
HearingUnlike vision, which is obscured, hearing is usually intensified. Patients become overexcited, and overly sensitive to the least noise, which often results in insomnia. TouchSensation in the hands seems accurate, but somehow gets erased before it reaches the brain, so that patients are not conscious of what they are touching, or of what they are doing.
This is precisely the mental process we are attempting to emphasize, since, although the physiological symptoms which we have just described are of little importance in themselves, understanding their psychological origin is essential if they are to be treated with any success.
Physiological (organic) symptoms resulting
Aside from the psychological symptoms we have described above, patients can develop a whole range of physiological symptoms, which are the direct result of the lack of cerebral control. It could be said that the affected organ often mirrors the state of the brain so well that it develops its own phobias, anxieties and abulia.
We will not attempt to describe all possible symptoms which can affect the various organs, since they are not uniquely caused by noncontrol, but can also be the result of a malfunction of the organ itself. This malfunction of a given organ originates in the nervous system, which is directly affected by all abnormalities in cerebral control. The vascular system, it seems, is the one which exhibits the most typical reactions: vaso-motor nerves cause the system to become anemic
or congested, and to either increase or diminish secretions in accordance with the slightest psychological imbalance.
All systems can be affected: however, the digestive and genitourinary system (in men especially) are most frequently influenced. The sense organs exhibit certain peculiarities which merit our attention here.
We will not attempt to describe all possible symptoms which can affect the various organs, since they are not uniquely caused by noncontrol, but can also be the result of a malfunction of the organ itself. This malfunction of a given organ originates in the nervous system, which is directly affected by all abnormalities in cerebral control. The vascular system, it seems, is the one which exhibits the most typical reactions: vaso-motor nerves cause the system to become anemic
or congested, and to either increase or diminish secretions in accordance with the slightest psychological imbalance.
All systems can be affected: however, the digestive and genitourinary system (in men especially) are most frequently influenced. The sense organs exhibit certain peculiarities which merit our attention here.
Abulia
We can say that all psychasthenic patients suffer from abulia, and in fact there is a large grey area between what can be considered simple indecision and complete abulia. However, as we will see later on, the absence of willpower is more
apparent than real, and is due rather to its misguided application.
Be that as it may, the result is the same. Every thought or idea, every act requiring some measure of willpower, will evoke feelings of fear in these persons’ minds; they are incapable of making any effort, and are paralyzed by doubt. Abulia is really a fear of wanting anything, since patients believe that making any kind of effort is painful, and every action results in anxiety. Phobias and obsessionsThese symptoms are constantly present during the disorder ’s active phase.
Fear of a certain word or thought or object becomes obsessive, and always results a belief that the word or object in question is not under their control - patients feel defenseless and at the same time unable to escape.
apparent than real, and is due rather to its misguided application.
Be that as it may, the result is the same. Every thought or idea, every act requiring some measure of willpower, will evoke feelings of fear in these persons’ minds; they are incapable of making any effort, and are paralyzed by doubt. Abulia is really a fear of wanting anything, since patients believe that making any kind of effort is painful, and every action results in anxiety. Phobias and obsessionsThese symptoms are constantly present during the disorder ’s active phase.
Fear of a certain word or thought or object becomes obsessive, and always results a belief that the word or object in question is not under their control - patients feel defenseless and at the same time unable to escape.
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