PSYCHOTHERAPY, the treatment of disease by psycho logical means. Throughout the ages the attempted cure of ills through mental influences has been in vogue, but it is only of late that psychotherapy has been placed on a scientific basis and be come a recognized branch of medicine. It is in the main employed in the treatment of so-called functional nervous disorders which are now regarded as mental in origin. One of various methods may be used according to the special faith of the physician or the type of case he is dealing with.
During hypnosis, suggestions towards the removal of symptoms are made. The common aver sion to this means, its unreliability, and the supervention of more satisfactory methods, have led to its progressive disuse in recent years. In treating neurotically disabled soldiers during the World War it was, however, much employed. And for the recovery of buried memories, in cases of double personality, and for the alleviation of certain symptoms, it is of some value. See HYP NOTISM. Suggestion, without any hypnotic sleep is commonly practised. Here the remedial suggestions are made while the patient is in a state of passive repose. It is in essence the same mental process which a physician brings into play by his assur ances for betterment to a patient who has faith and confidence in him. Its drawback is that it is a blind method of treatment in that the source of the disorder is not thus attacked but only the surface symptom. See SUGGESTION.
In the case of auto-sug gestion the suggestions are given by the self and not by another. Its great advocates, Coue and Baudouin, believed that all sugges tion was of this type and that a second individual was not neces sary. It is probable, however, that emotional forces, directly or indirectly, between two persons are needed in most cases.
Persuasion is that method especially associated with Dubois of Berne, in which the patient takes an active share in modifying his mental state. His reason is appealed to, and from the ex
planations given him he is led to see that there is no logical basis for his symptoms. Though persuasion may benefit certain mild forms of nervous symptoms, it has to be borne in mind that an exaggerated value is given to the reasoning process and that many sufferers are painfully conscious of the absurdity of their fears which reason can in no way modify. The element of sug gestion, too, must be a factor in the mental process.
endeavours to trace out the root origin of the nervous disorder, and in this respect is therapeutically more scientific than other methods. It involves a frank dissection of all the neurotic symptoms, taking a longitudinal survey of the emotional life history of the patient, noting the circumstances and situations which produced the neurotic reaction, interpreting dreams, giving the individual insight into cause and effect, as well as re-educating him towards a more normal attitude of mind as regards his instinctive desires and impulses. As in all psycho therapy, the personality of the physician counts for much. Uncon scious suggestive influence is of course present also to some extent. Such analysis may be carried out by a special technique known as psycho-analysis which involves the adoption and application of the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud. In a few types of cases this method is valuable, but the expense and length of time it usually necessitates render its use extremely limited. See PSYCHIATRY and PSYCHOANALYSIS. Occupational therapy has in late years been developed much for certain types of patients in conjunction with psychotherapeutic treatment. Organized occupational work tends to give an opportunity for the expression of the personality, forms an outlet for energy, and diverts atten tion from the self. Moral and religious influences, though of no small import, hardly enter into the sphere of scientific medicine.
(C. S. R.)